


We Were There

by BlackHunter666



Category: Biker Mice From Mars, Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alien Allies, F/M, Family, Flesh to Metal, Gen, M/M, One Brave Human, Transitioning, new home, new start
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-24 18:18:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 29
Words: 201,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4930144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shoulder to shoulder, they have faced the Decepticons twice before and now two teams from completely different backgrounds come together for another battle. Martians and Autobots coming together for one last fight, tempers running hot and a new piece of technology just waiting to be put to the test. They were there for Mission City, they were there for the Fallen and now they're ready to face Sentinel Prime. </p><p>** Eventually will expand to cover AoE as well, but right now I'm working out where everything will fit in that half of the story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We're Here, Don't Forget Us

We were there in Mission City, fighting for our world. We were there as the Decepticons made their presence felt. We were there as the Autobots lined up for the offensive. We were there as the great battle waged over our heads and we helped. We were there to fight, giving our best to drive our mutual enemies from the earth. We were there although the world knows nothing of our presence. We were there, we fought bravely and cohesively against foes so much larger but we were not afraid. We were there when one brave defender was murdered but we did not stand idly by. We were there and so we did our ultimate to save his life. We were there and we succeeded.

We were there in Shanghai, hiding in the shadows and backing up our friends. We were there to meet the threat head on, unafraid and determined to free our planet. We were there to hear the warning about the Fallen. We were there when Optimus fell in battle and left the fight to the rest of the brave defenders. We were there as the Fallen hunted for Sam and we were there as he fled for safety. We were there when the Autobots considered leaving but chose to stay, wanting to honour their fallen leader. We were there as the defenders made the trip to Egypt. We were there to hear the story of the Fallen and the Harvester, shuddering at the thought of what could happen if such a weapon was activated. We were there to face Devastator, concerned when it swallowed Mudflap but we fought on bravely. We were there when Sam was killed and gifted with the Matrix of Leadership. We were there as Prime was revived against all odds. We were there when Jetfire sacrificed his life so Optimus could take his parts and destroy the Harvester. We were there to witness the defeat of the Megatron and the elimination of the Fallen. We were there and we were proud.

We were there through it all and now we are here for another round.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Coffee in hand and hair hanging loose around her shoulders, Emily Hunter headed into one of the newer rooms in her base and looked at the bank of computers secured all around the walls. Sighing softly, she reached out and switched on the monitor attached to the main computer in the bank and her own connected laptop.  
'Hey, you awake yet?' she asked, tapping the monitor lightly.  
'Huh? Just give me a minute here.' a voice replied, the monitor flickering for a moment. 'You found a few more bytes I see.'  
'Yeah, in the waste management subsystem of all places. I do not want to know what you were doing in our sewage system.'  
'It's not like I could control what happened once I was in the system. It just happened.' Jazz's face appeared on the monitor, the closest thing to a smile on his features.  
'I know Jazz, its okay. We're still working on the system scans, it's a slow process but we're getting there. We'll get you all back together again, just be patient.'  
'It's not like I'm going anywhere for a while yet Emily. How's the research coming?'  
'Very slowly. We haven't been able to reach Ratchet for a while, we're flying blind. We'll get it sorted out though, don't worry.'  
'It's hard not to worry when I'm stuck in this condition. I know I'm usually the laid back kind of guy but I ain't designed to sit still like this. I gotta move.'  
'I understand Jazz, really I do. We're just worried that you'll fragment again if we release you into the main system again. We'd rather avoid that happening again. We've been working on this for five odd years now and we're still finding the odd byte where it doesn't belong. You can at least access the cameras and PA system in the base so you're not completely isolated.'  
'It's not the same thing and you know it Emily.'  
'I've got Fang hitting the comms at the moment; he's trying to at least lock down the location of the latest Autobot base. If we're lucky we'll get radio contact, if not well, we'll figure something else out.'  
'Any luck on that other request I made?'  
'Windvest is working on the tactile sensors. Wheelie's hard at work on the connections for the base. Odd Ball hasn't left his workspace as he wraps up the programming for the system. You asked, we'll pull it off but we're not there yet.'  
'If it's going to be too much stress…'  
'Jazz, we've already started on the project. Tempers will flare but we'll get the job done. Besides, we're determined to make this living situation the very best that we can. I know this situation isn't ideal but we're doing the best we can Jazz.'  
'You don't have to explain Emily, I'll always be grateful for my second chance. Without your help, I'd be long gone and forgotten.'  
'Never forgotten Jazz, not while we still live. I swear to you, we will reunite you with your friends. I don't know how or when but we will get you back where you belong Jazz.'  
'I know you will Emily, I just…I miss them, you know.'  
'We've got another project on the go to cover all the bases when we reconnect with the rest of the group. Although we can't disconnect this secondary system and move it, for your own safety of course, but we can use this new equipment to let you stand face to face with your friends once again. It's untested over long distances so far but with a little more work we should be able to run the program in base.'  
'What's this program do?' Jazz asked, switching to a different monitor so he could see over Emily's shoulder.  
'This is a holographic representation program. It's already hooked up to the 72 holograph projectors throughout the base, now it's just a matter of securing the linkup, dropping the barrier and allowing you access. Goggles is working on the security protocols to protect you from another fragmentation while I'm writing the program to give you a holographic body.'  
'You've got a good eye for details, this looks a lot like the body I had before this.'  
'Nah, I've got a good record to work off.' Emily replied, activating a different screen and bringing up a feed from one of the outer storage areas. 'This is one of the few cameras you can't access, for obvious reasons.'  
'You've got my body? So what's the problem with getting me back together?'  
'Our tools can't put a dent in the work required. We've tried with the best tools we had and could get and couldn't even scratch the surface. And then there's the slight problem of your spark being extinguished. We're determined to get in touch with Ratchet again and get him working on the problems we've encountered. We have a total repair list written up and know what connects where; we just don't have the equipment to do the job.'  
'I understand Emily. Thanks for trying anyway.'  
'Don't give up hope Jazz; we will get you back where you belong.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Stretched out on the couch with his wife, Braid was quite enjoying his downtime and the rare time to cuddle with his beloved before they were called back to duty. Most of his attention was on his wife but he still paid some attention to the others in the rec room. Falcon and Decal were snuggled up in Falcon's reinforced armchair; the lovers were totally immersed in their own world. Sidewinder was stretched out on another couch, flicking through the latest bike magazines and listening to the radio. Ripper and Rictor were at the pool table, the clinking of the balls somewhat soothing.

Everyone looked up when a sudden metallic rattle echoed through the rec room, all eyes scanning for the source of the noise. They found it easily enough; no one could miss the sudden appearance of Jazz in the far corner, right below the holoprojector.  
'Hey, look who's made it out of the secondary systems.' Hammer grinned, leaning on his own pool cue.  
'Technically I'm still in the secondary systems. This is just a secure linkup to give me a little more movement.'  
'It's good to see you up and about Jazz. It was starting to get really weird talking to a voice in the ceiling.' Kawasaki agreed, draping one arm around Hammer's shoulders.  
'Try being that voice in the ceiling, so weird. But with access to all 72 holoprojectors, things will be better.'  
'I reckon you'll really love projector 71, you'll wind up on the parking lot on the roof of the warehouse. Emily's been parking random sports cars up there so no one will think anything of it if they see a Pontiac Solstice up there. You'll be in good company, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porches, all the best cars money can buy.' Sidewinder grinned, rocking to his feet and stretching. 'It'd give you a chance to head outside and see the city.'  
'Will these holograms stand up to anyone looking at me while I'm up there?'  
'Yeah, the projector up there is built differently. The ones down here aren't so important so the odd flickers and slight transparency doesn't matter. Up there, the holograms look real and stand up to all the world can throw at them.' Sidewinder grinned, recalling all the testing they'd done on the system.  
'Projector 71, I might have to remember that but I can't go up there looking like this.'  
'Jazz, simply activate your transformation before you connect with the projector. You'll turn up out there just like you used to be.' Christine replied, settling back against Braid's chest.  
'Now that would be nice, sitting up there and just watching Chicago pass me by. It won't replace a nightly cruise down the streets but its good enough.'  
'It's on our to-do-list Jazz. We've got some empty tunnels in the lower levels that we're going to clear and turn into your own personal driving track. You'll be able to select your destination from a list of some fifty different maps so far and drive. We're already starting on the wiring to give you a real sensory perception of the experience. You'll feel the road under your tyres, the wind against your panels and all the other little details that makes driving what it is.' Goggles offered, wandering in and heading straight for the fridge for a drink.  
'You don't have to go to all that trouble Goggles.'  
'Feh, nothing to it Jazz. This is good training for us; we're all out of practise with big electrical problems. We used to be able to rewire our base without hesitation or error. Now we're shaky on repairs and have had a few minor mistakes that have caused problems in the main systems. So doing all this electrical stuff is really good for everyone involved.' Goggles shrugged, pulling out a bottle of orange juice and hooking down a cup.  
'Well, so long as it's not a real problem.'  
'Nah, we're getting a kick out of all this electrical work. Been ages since I sat down and wrote up computer programs anywhere near the complexity required for this job, it's great.' Wheelie agreed, taking the orange juice from Goggles and pouring one of his own.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Eyes lighting up when he got a confirmation ping on one of his queries, Fang slipped his radio headset on and opened the channel, praying he was on the right track this time.  
'Please identify yourself, this is Chicago.'  
"Ironhide here Chicago."  
'It's about fucking time one of you guys picked up.'  
"Huh?"  
'Under Hunter's orders we've been trying to re-establish contact with your guys.'  
"Yeah, sorry about that Chicago. The new CIA liaison we're dealing with is a real bitch."  
'It's all right Ironhide; it's just good to know you haven't abandoned us. Any chance of getting Prime on the line?'  
"That a neg…hang on, he's just arrived back at base. I'll let him know you want to talk to him."  
'Thanks Ironhide.' Fang grinned, turning and activating a secondary linkup. 'Emily, I've got Ironhide on the line. He's just letting Prime know we wanna talk to him.'  
"I'll be right there Fang."  
"Optimus here Chicago, what's the situation?"  
'What'd you guys do, change your comm frequencies?'  
"I do not understand Fang."  
'I've been trying to re-establish contact with your guys since we went our separate ways after Egypt.'  
"I do apologise Fang, we have been busy."  
'It's alright; Emily wants to speak with you. She's just here.' Fang grinned, activating the second headset as Emily raced into the room and slipped the headset into place. 'You're on with Prime.' he uttered, removing his headset and leaving the room.  
'Hey Optimus, long time without contact.'  
"We have been rather busy dealing with terrorist threats and other issues."  
'I understand, it's cool. But a short message to let us know you were okay would have been nice.'  
"I will make a note to maintain regular contact with you."  
'Thanks. We need to meet up somewhere, I've got something to show everyone but I reckon Ratchet will be most interested.'  
"Every time you say that, we all end up surprised. We're in Washington DC at the moment, our base is there."  
'Let me guess, N.E.S.T still technically runs the place.'  
"Along with the CIA."  
'Then we have a problem. N.E.S.T doesn't like us that much and the CIA really would love to get me for good. I know I told you about my troubles with the government.'  
"Transmitting documents, I know you'll find a good use for them."

Glancing at the incoming document screen, Emily's jaw dropped as the files came in and she realised just what Optimus was providing them all. Not only had he included all appropriate N.E.S.T ID's and paperwork to get vehicles into the compound but pictures of the real documents so perfect forgeries could be made.  
'Yeah, this will do the job nicely. I'll get them prepped and ready for use once we're done here. I'd prefer a day when everyone's on base but if that can't be done, I'll take the majority of the group.'  
"When do you expect to arrive in Washington?"  
'We'll probably head out tomorrow afternoon so early Wednesday morning.'  
"I will make sure everyone is back at base. I am uncertain as to how to deal with Charlotte Mearing, Galloway's replacement."  
'Leave her to me, I know how to deal with bureaucrats. Don't worry, I won't kill her but I will make her rue the day she ever crossed swords with Emily B. Hunter.'  
"I believe you will Emily, you've already proven more than most can handle."  
'You got that right Optimus. I'll be bringing some of the guys along for the trip, as a security precaution. Most of the guys will be staying here though, there's a ton of work to be done.'  
"Of course Emily, I understand. How many can we expect?"  
'Ten of us all together. I'll bring along the guys that helped build the system we're showing off along with a small security team. One Medic and Mechanic will have to stay home though, just in case we have any emergencies. The rest of their sections will come along though, they know the system.'  
"I will have the necessary arrangements made for you."  
'Thanks Optimus. We'll see you Wednesday.'  
"Until then Emily. Optimus out."  
'Chicago out.'


	2. Revelations

Rumbling up to the N.E.S.T base, Emily checked her security team was all in place and grinned before leaning out the window and handing over her new ID and paperwork. All the mice with her were ready too, ID's to hand and all their paperwork organised. Opening a small door on the side of the trailer, Revs and Wheelie both presented their ID's too, not bothering to hide the fact something was different about them.

Getting their documents back, the group rolled through the gates and spread out, keeping the humans back as Emily spun her rig around and backed into the base proper. Air brakes squealing for a moment, Emily cut the engine and jumped down, smiling as she looked up at their old friends. Whistling sharply, she waved the rest of the team inside and chuckled as they set their bikes to patrol around the truck before lining up behind her. Lowering the personnel ramp, Revs and Wheelie joined the line up, their bikes slipping into the circling warning line quickly.  
'Good to see you all again.' Emily grinned, tucking her hair back behind her ear quickly.  
'And you all as well.' Optimus replied, kneeling down so he wasn't towering over them. 'But I thought you said ten all together.'  
'Yeah, Blade made the call to take a couple scouts along too, just in case. I wasn't going to argue.' Emily shrugged, looking over the Autobots carefully. 'Hang on; we've got a couple of new faces in the crowd.'  
'Quite right Emily, meet Dino and Que. They've been with us for a few months now. Dino, Que, I'd like you to meet Emily Hunter and some of her allies.' Optimus nodded, waving the new arrivals forward.  
'What happened to Skids and Mudflap?' Decal asked, scanning the group but there was no sign of the pair.  
'They were lost in an altercation in Africa.' Ironhide replied, stepping forward and taking a knee. 'Good to see you again Falcon.'  
'Right back at ya Ironhide, it's really been too long. You are going to love the new upgrades I made for Armageddon, based on the specs you gave us to mess around with.'  
'lookin' forward to it Falcon.'  
'Guys, why don't you introduce yourselves to Dino and Que while Revs, Wheelie and I get this display up and running.' Emily suggested, hustling up the personnel ramp.  
'You might want to move back Optimus, this trailer is going to get a bit bigger.' Revs warned, pausing on the ramp.  
'You heard him, everyone back up.' Optimus called, moving back a few steps before settling on the ground.

Lowering the walls of the trailer to display all the computers and other tech crammed into the small space, the three responsible for the unit ran out the last wiring and hooked the system up, barking orders and throwing tools back and forth. The easy teamwork was proof of their close bonds but even though Emily was an outsider of the unit, she was still treated with the utmost of respect. Slinging a wrench the length of the trailer into Wheelie's waiting hand, Emily darted out onto the lowered trailer side and checked the legs were secure before hurrying out and dragging the emitter into position. This one was exactly the same as the holoprojector on the warehouse roof back in Chicago but was specially designed to give a better display angle. Instead of trapping the display in the vertical position directly above or below the projector, this new design gave more freedom of movement within the display cone. Catching the incoming wire bundles from Revs, she hooked the projector up and switched it on, smiling proudly at the slowly revolving Autobot logo now taking up the central area of the cone.

Finishing up the last wiring adjustments, the trio jumped down from the trailer and moved towards the waiting Autobots, totally confident in what they were about to do.  
'For the last six years, we have been working on a mobile unit that will protect critically wounded Autobots from off lining. Using a combination of Martian and human technology, we have created the first ever mobile spark stabilisation and download facility. If the need should arise, we can secure a spark in a specially designed isolation chamber, keep it going through any trauma and download the complete identity of a critically wounded warrior until they can be repaired.' Wheelie announced, so very proud of their achievements.  
'Those are some pretty big claims, Wheelie. Can you back them up?' Ratchet asked, eyeing the system critically but the idea was sound as far as he could tell.  
'The spark stabilisation systems are as of yet untested but we have run thousands of simulations based on the data you gave us at our last meeting. The identity download programs have been thoroughly tested and are in full working order. But perhaps a demonstration is in order. Most of you remember Jazz and the tragic nature of his death. Before Ratchet was able to reach him, my team was able to use our first version of the download technology to secure a full copy of his entire personality.' Revs nodded, turning to Emily as she slid her radio headset into position and switched on her radio.  
'Chicago, this is Hunter, please respond.'  
"Chicago here Hunter, go ahead."  
'Initialise the contact.'  
"Initialising in three…two…one."

All the Autobots stared in disbelief as the rotating Autobot logo was replaced by a Pontiac Solstice which transformed into one very ticked off looking Autobot.  
"Six years guys and not even so much as a postcard. I've been stuck in a computer system for six years, just waiting for someone to put my body back together but no, you're off trashing Decepticons without me…I thought we were friends."  
'Jazz, is that really you?' Optimus asked, leaning forward a little to get a closer look.  
"Of course it's really me Prime. Or at least the closest I've been to myself in six years. We hit a snag with the transfer from the pack mounted computers to the main Chicago system and I fragmented badly. It's taken five-and-a-half years to put me back together but I'm about complete again. I don't blame Emily or the mice for that, I owe them my survival."  
'Where are you?' Ratchet asked, stunned by how real the image looked.  
"Emily's secondary computer system in Chicago. It's not so bad, I've got holographic access like this to most communal places in the base as well as a rooftop where I can watch the city. Those areas I can't get into I can see through the security cameras and communicate via the PA system. I'm not really restricted, I can simulate just about everything but what I'd really like is for you to get back to Chicago and fix my body."  
'Wouldn't help Jazz, your spark was extinguished. That's not even thinking about the fact that I don't have your body.'  
"I know that Ratchet but thanks to Emily I also know about the Matrix of Leadership. Surely that could be of some assistance in this situation. Come on Ratch-man, don't leave me like this for another six years. As for my body, I know where it is. Emily's got it, safely tucked away in one of the storage areas on base. I've seen it, it's just waiting for repairs."  
'We have the specs of the damage if you need them Ratchet, we downloaded a copy of the original repair files to the trailer before we headed out.' Revs offered, pointing back over his shoulder. 'Would only take a few moments to organise a wireless link for you to grab the files.'  
'That would be helpful Revs, I didn't do a proper scan like I should have.'  
'We've got photos, written reports and a 3D scan of the entire chassis.' Revs nodded, vaulting into the trailer and opening up a wireless link. 'Link open Ratchet, whenever you're ready.'  
'Accessing link.'  
"I see we've got a few new faces in the ranks since my passing. Silver, blue and red, nice little set."  
'Jazz, meet Sideswipe, Que and Dino. There were two others in the ranks but they were lost in Africa.' Optimus nodded, introducing the trio and watching their varied reactions. Sideswipe didn't seem to care, he certainly wasn't impressed but he wasn't giving any thoughts away. Que was curious about the situation and probably wanted to go looking into the system on the trailer but he was holding back. Dino was harder to read but Optimus had a feeling he was sizing up the competition, even though there was no comparison between the pair.  
"Sideswipe, Que and Dino, nice to meet ya. I'm Jazz, the old 2IC. This isn't how I imagined meeting new friends but it'll do for now. Come on Ironhide, pick your jaw up off the floor. I'm not dead."  
'I'm not even going to ask.' Ironhide muttered, still shocked by this revelation but trying to catch up.  
'Thanks Revs, this will be of great help.' Ratchet nodded, closing the connection and diverting part of his attention to the files he'd just received. 'Jazz, I'll look the files over and see what I can do. No promises on when I'll be able to get to Chicago and start work but I promise I won't leave it six years.'  
"Thanks Ratchet, I know you'll do the best job you can."  
'I do have to ask, why are we only finding out about this now?' Optimus enquired, an open hand indicating the trailer and Jazz.  
'Uhh, let's see. The last time we caught up, we were in Egypt, dealing with the Fallen. You were given a ride back to America, we had to make our own way. By the time we got back to America, we couldn't raise you. It's almost like you guys only call us when you need help and brush us aside for the rest of the time.' Emily replied, shifting her holstered pistols as she tried to ignore the threat she was aware of at her back.  
'It was not my choice Emily. I apologise for the radio silence, we were under orders.'  
'There is no need to apologise Optimus, I understand. We aren't technically part of N.E.S.T, we never will be and that's just the way it is. Nothing anyone can do about it.'  
"So, what have I missed over the last six years? The guys in Chicago have told me some things but I reckon there's more to the story than the couple of big battles they've told me about."

Responding instantly to the cocking of rifles, the mice vaulted from their positions and formed up around Emily, pistols and rifles rising smoothly into position. Arm cannon locking into place, Odd Ball moved forward and took a knee, the massive weapon aimed up at the military men on the upper walkway. Desert Eagles twirling, Emily showed no fear as she faced the human N.E.S.T contingent, a faint smirk on her face.  
'You're not stupid Lennox! I know you won't risk the safety of that computer system! One stray bullet and six years of work is gone! Do you really want to be responsible for Jazz's death!' Emily taunted, motioning for the bros to move so they were directly in front of the computer system. Trusting in Emily's fast-talking abilities, the Autobots stayed silent and waited to see how things would pan out for them all.  
'You're bluffing Emily! Jazz is dead, I saw his remains personally!'  
'That's where you're wrong Lennox! We got to Jazz right after his run in with Megatron! We saved what we could! His body is waiting for repairs and his essence lives in the computers!'  
'Ratchet proclaimed his death! I heard the mourning words from him and from Optimus!'  
'That was twenty minutes after we ran the salvage programs! 99.96 percent saved, it's not perfect but it's pretty bloody close! We lost fifteen minutes of Jazz's life! That's all!'  
'There's no way that's the real Jazz! He's just a hologram!'  
'Without Ratchet's help, we couldn't repair Jazz's body! Our tools are not strong enough! What proof do you want that we have the real Jazz?'  
'It's just a computer program, there's no way to prove it one way or another!'  
"That's enough!" Jazz roared, shocking everyone with his sudden aggression. "Knock this frag off guys, it's pointless. I ain't spent six slaggin' years livin' in some damned computer just to listen to this. Lennox, I know I can't offer any proof that I'm the real deal but it's the absolute truth. I owe my life to Emily and her Martian companions, they saved me when no one else could. Ask Ratchet, he's got the files on my unique situation. It's not much, but it's all I've got to offer." He continued, seeming to shrink a little now that all the attention was on him.  
'I can't explain it but it's true Lennox. I've been going over the files and it's all real. Somehow Emily and the mice were able to save Jazz's being, without needing his spark or body to maintain life.' Ratchet shrugged, still diverting some of his focus to the files he'd received from Revs.  
'Prime?'  
'I do not pretend to understand this situation but I have no reason to doubt the truth of Emily's story. There are certain details that only Jazz would know when it came to his form, whether that form be steel or electronic. I can see the small 2IC marking on his armour, right where I placed it when I selected Jazz for the position. Such is the design that I believe it is too complex for any earth computer to handle and the image in reality is so small that it seems just a small scratch on Jazz's armour.' Optimus nodded, optics clicking as he zoomed in on Jazz's image. 'Right there, upper left corner of Jazz's chestplate.'

Moving closer to the hologram as Jazz knelt, Emily squinted in an attempt to see even the faintest damage to the panel. Shifting a little, Jazz focused the imagined light source of the hologram into the spot, highlighting the tiny little scratch. It was barely an inch long and only a few millimetres wide, Emily had completely missed it in all her previous inspections of Jazz's frame.  
"Where'd that…got it." Jazz grinned, bringing up a hologram within the main image and zooming in on the fine marking. Now the details became clear, the loops and angles crossing over the central line drawing all eyes around the pattern.  
'I know my system is good but there's no way any program I've got could replicate that design, it's so ornate.' Emily nodded, completely astonished by the image she was seeing.  
'Well, if Optimus says it's really Jazz, that's good enough for me then. Stand down guys, it's okay.' Lennox nodded, shouldering his rifle and heading down to the group. 'You'd better get out of here Emily. Director Mearing will be here soon and she's not going to be so forgiving.' Lennox warned, checking the time quickly. 'She dislikes Autobots, I'd hate to think what she'll do about mice.'  
'Fair call Lennox. I can't leave until Jazz is ready though, this is his chance to vent after all this time.' Emily nodded, looking up at the digital warrior.  
"I don't have much else to say Em. I've got Ratchet's promise that he'll look into rebuilding my body and reigniting my spark, can't ask for more than that as the moment."  
'Is there any chance I can upload something to you system for Jazz to go through at his leisure?' Optimus asked, pushing off the wall and getting to his feet.  
'Sure, the wireless link is still active. There's plenty of space in these computers, Jazz is still secure back in Chicago.' Revs nodded, jumping back into the trailer and switching the wireless link from downloading to uploading capabilities.  
'Alright bros, let's get ready to head out again. Decal, check our exit route. Braidy and Emission, take up your positions by the door. The rest of you, move into travelling positions.'

Mounting up smoothly, the group spread out and took up their positions around the black truck as Optimus started the download, giving over copies of all his files relating to the battles Jazz had missed. Alert and ready for action, the mice were ready for a rapid escape the moment the computer rig was ready to cruise.  
'Ready Jazz?' Wheelie asked, crouched beside the holoprojector.  
"Yeah, I've said my piece Wheelie." Jazz nodded, turning back to his fellow Autobots. "I'll see you around guys, don't forget me again. I'll be waiting for you in Chicago."  
'As soon as I'm sure on the repairs, I'll make the journey to start the repairs.' Ratchet promised, already working on how to put Jazz back together.  
'Next round with the Decepticons, I'll smash one extra for you Jazz.' Ironhide nodded, figuring his old friend would appreciate the offer for what it was.  
"Thanks Ironhide, make it a good one."  
'I miss you Jazz.' Bumblebee offered, sorrow in his optics.  
"Chin up little Bee, I'm okay. When there's time, come to Chicago and we'll take a drive together."  
'I will Jazz.'  
"Until we next meet, be safe and fight well my brothers-in-arms." Jazz uttered, looking around the group again before dropping to his wheels and driving out of sight.  
'Well that was a little cold.'  
'Don't start Que, just don't start. These last six years haven't been easy for Jazz. He's pretty much isolated in the secondary systems back in my base. The only time we let him into the main system, he fragmented into thousands of pieces and we're still trying to put him back together. He's cut off from the world, the only people he has any kind of contact are refugees from Mars and me, a woman the US government would love to see dead. He's been waiting and hoping for the day he'd be reunited with his friends, the people that truly understand him. His life is unstable, at any moment the army could find our home and destroy it, taking him along with it and that scares him. I don't expect you to understand, you've got the life he wants and he can't have it.' Emily sighed, flipping onto the trailer and starting to pull the holoprojector back into a standby position.  
'Try to guess the one thing Jazz longs for more than anything else in the world.' Wheelie challenged, disconnecting the computers and preparing for travel.

Turning their considerable computing power to the question, the Autobots were quiet, formulating their own answers to Wheelie's challenge as they watched the pack up procedure.  
'Jazz is a free spirit, he never enjoyed sitting still, no matter the reasons. I can't imagine how frustrated he must be with being stuck in one place indefinitely. He'd do anything for the chance to take off into the sunset and follow the highway until it ended.' Ratchet mused, hanging his head for a moment. 'That's what he longs for, one last chance to cruise the highway.'  
'Exactly Ratchet. I'd never expect you to understand that Que, you don't have many restrictions in comparison. You can go out and hit the highway, take a few hours to just explore but he can't. The best we can do is a simulation but he knows it's not real and there's no changing that.' Revs nodded, folding up the sides of the trailer and emerging again.  
'If you need us Optimus, we won't be far away. When you next need us, give us a call and we'll be right there for you.' Emily added, securing the personnel door as Revs and Wheelie swung onto their bikes.  
'Just like always Emily. Whenever we need you, you've always been close to hand. Be safe and ride free.' Optimus replied, recalling the familiar blessing among the mice.  
'Ride free, my friends.' Emily grinned, swinging in behind the wheel and pulling out. Sticking to their positions, the mice fell in around the truck and raced off, the old Kenworth easily keeping up with them until they were out of sight.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Making use of a secondary facility under Washington, Emily's away team met up with the rest of the unit and prepared for battle. Even though Optimus had said nothing of consequence, they all knew to trust Emily's gut and right now it was telling her that trouble was only just around the corner and they would soon be in the thick of battle. She couldn't say when or where the first skirmish would come but it was on the way.

Dragging out equipment not used since the last big battle against the Decepticons, the mice kitted out their bikes with stronger armour, bigger weapons and several secret weapons. Adjusting their radios, they hooked back into Autobot comm lines and reactivated the comms installed on the bikes to bring them into contact with the Autobots as well. They were pinged by the Autobots out of curiosity, responding that they were making preparations just in case they were needed and that was enough to calm the Autobots again.


	3. Skirmish

Receiving their instructions, the Martian unit mounted up and flooded from their base, breaking into smaller teams to maximise their coverage area as they raced to join the intercept. They had four main objectives, each one vital to ensuring safe passage for Sentinel Prime back to the N.E.S.T base. One: rendezvous with the guarding force and supply backup. Two: establish a guarding line outside the N.E.S.T base. Three: secure crossroads to give the team a clear run to safety. Four: close protection of Sentinel Prime. The close protection objective was lower on the list because of the Autobots, they were the better ones for the job but the mice knew enough about Decepticons to still have a purpose regarding such matters. Emily stayed back from the fighting; waiting in the stabilisation truck just in case their worst scenario played out and someone needed a rescue urgently. She wasn't worried about the distance to the wounded; she knew what her Kenworth was capable of. It looked like crap but underneath, this particular truck had the heart of a sports car and the speed to go with it.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Leading his team into position, Slash shot past Bumblebee and nodded, signalling their readiness for whatever was coming their way. Scattering out around Sentinel Prime, his team of 14 were ready for anything but expecting the worst to come out of their running battle with any Decepticons that came their way.  
"You guys got here fast."  
'Nothing to it Bee, we never left Washington. While Emily was showing off the stabilisation truck, the rest of us were making preparations in her minor Washington base. We're armed for Decepticons and ready for a fight.'  
"Let's do this."  
"Argo, scanners are picking up three Decepticons closing fast. Black suburbans."  
'Copy that Lone Wolf. Alright bros, its battle time. We've got three Decepticons coming up on our tails. Sidewinder, buy us some time! Everyone else, weapons going hot!'  
"On it Slash." Sidewinder replied, swinging his bike around and launching the first of his many new tricks. These mines were special, designed only to react to the unique electromagnetic disturbance given off by Decepticons. He'd noticed the disturbance during the last big battle but this was the first time the technology had been used. Forcing Smash back around, he raced back to the group and released his rifle, the heavy weapon secure in his hands as he raced forward.

The mines worked as designed, going off underneath the Decepticons but they weren't stopped, they just transformed back into vehicle mode and continued the chase.  
'Argo, 'Con mines are a bust. Repeat: 'Con mines did not work.'  
"Understood Missile. Looks like we're doing this the hard way." Slash replied, cocking his rifle. "It's battle time bros!"

Rising up on the footpegs, Falcon shouldered his massive rifle and opened fire, the six barrels whirling into action as he peppered one of the Decepticons with everything he had. Trilling quickly, Armageddon flipped out four of her missile launchers and fired, adding to the chaos as the other two Decepticons transformed and joined the chase. Splitting her launchers, Armageddon nailed both undamaged 'Cons with two missiles each before snapping left to avoid incoming danger. Swinging his rifle up, Falcon narrowly avoided walking his fire into Dino and jumped onto the saddle, firing over the brilliant red 'Bot into the Decepticon.  
"Not bad, not bad at all."  
'Just be glad I didn't hit you. These things will shred your internals.'  
"Mind your head." Dino replied, transforming and getting his grappling hooks into the four legged Decepticon.  
'Right with you Dino.' Falcon grinned, shouldering his main weapon and swinging up a multi-missile launcher. Shifting his feet so he was more surfing than riding, Falcon lined up his aim and opened fire, twelve small missiles twisting together and slamming into the Decepticon's back, the damage out of proportion for their size.  
"You certainly have some nice tricks."  
'You ain't seen nothing yet Dino. Come on Armageddon, nail that fucker!'

Engine screaming angrily, Armageddon swept around Dino and charged, Falcon standing tall on her back and firing hard. Spinning around, she fired all eight missile launchers into the hulking enemy soldier, completely tearing it to pieces. Dropping back into the saddle, Falcon kept his head down as they blazed right through the carnage.  
'Now that's what I'm talking about.'  
"You are insane."  
'Nah just got a lot of faith in my beautiful girl Armageddon.'  
"Smart bike, very smart bike."  
'Ain't no one tougher than Armageddon when it comes to these sorts of things.'  
"Except Autobots."  
'Different league.' Falcon chuckled, practically hugging Armageddon as they pushed through the wreckage on the streets.

Further up the convoy, Center Line, Torque and Braid were pushing their girls hard to keep up and still stay safe. Darting and weaving through the rubble, they had to think fast to avoid the truck that had just been flipped over, spilling gas bottles everywhere. Splitting up sharply, the bikes kicked it into high gear shot right under the wreckage, swerving the bigger debris and spinning clear of a flying Bumblebee.  
"Alright, back to N.E.S.T!"  
"You heard Witwicky, fall back to N.E.S.T."  
'You got it Slash.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

 

Standing by with his section of the unit, Blade held the line outside the N.E.S.T base, double rifles up and Beast's five missile launchers loaded with their best Decepticon slamming weaponry.  
"Team 1, inbound!"  
'Copy that Argo. Team two, standing by for the catch.'  
"Copy Chief."  
'Here they come!' Decal called, vaulting from the concrete wall and landing back on Combat.  
'Sic 'em Ironhide.' Blade grinned, watching the black weapons specialist race out to greet their enemy.  
"This one's for Jazz."  
'Make it good, you're on Martian live feed back to Chicago.'  
"Solid copy Chief."

Catching sight of the mobile support team, the base team nodded slowly and took aim, all eyes on the Decepticons out to ruin the day for everyone.  
"Dino, I got him." Sideswipe called, transforming and skating backwards as he opened fire again.  
"Ironhide!"  
'Go get 'em Ironhide.' Falcon grinned, watching his closest Autobot friend charge into battle as Armageddon whipped around for another run. 'Steady Armageddon, only if he needs backup.'

Watching the massive impact as Ironhide rammed into the two Decepticons, the 28 mice present winced then grinned, tracking the combatants as they transformed midair. Ironhide at least stuck his landing, the Decepticons hit the ground hard and picked themselves up as Sideswipe rolled into the fight, weapons up and aimed at both enemies.  
'Is there a problem?'  
'Whoa. A little Mexican standoff we got here.'  
'Weapons down.'  
"Never thought I'd here Ironhide say that." Goggles uttered, adjusting his HUD to better pick up the fight.  
'And we'll let you escape with your dignity.'  
"What dignity Sideswipe, they're slaggin' 'Cons." Blade smirked, quite interested to watch the brawl.  
'Drop 'em.'

On a slightly better angle to see the back of one of the Decepticons, Odd Ball didn't like the look of the spiked clubs he could see emerging from under the armour. Before he could even formulate a plan of action, one of the clubs was in the air, aimed at Ironhide.  
'Ironhide, watch out!'  
"Hunter, bring the stabilisation rig up, I've got a bad feeling about this fight."  
"Copy Chief, moving up now."  
'Ironhide, catch!'  
"Ratchet, Ironhide's gonna need a patch when we're done out here. Damage level unknown, he's still brawling."  
"Acknowledged Chief, I'll be ready."  
'Behind you!'

Getting behind the fight, the mice were all thrilled to be seeing Ironhide in his element again, tearing Decepticon's to shreds and having fun while doing it. It was a real treat to see Sideswipe in full action too; they hadn't seen much of him in the last fight. They enjoyed every minute of the fight but watching the second Decepticon getting so thoroughly owned by Ironhide then kicked into an auto store and exploding had to be a highlight.  
'Class dismissed.'  
"Way to go Ironhide." Falcon grinned, constantly amazed by what Ironhide could do.  
'Alright bros, back to it. We've still got work to do!' Blade called, rounding up his team and fanning them out again inside the compound.

Shifting gears quickly, Emily swung the stabilisation rig into the base and flicked several switches on the new console just beside the steering wheel. Something still had her worried, what exactly she wasn't sure but she was taking no chances with their only hope of saving any critically wounded Autobots.  
'Bros, engage secondary defence systems. Something is still wrong. I repeat: engage secondary defences.' she ordered, going over Blade's head but her experience was what counted. She listened to the affirmatives from her bros and stayed poised to move, one hand on the wheel and the other on the gear shift as she waited for the danger to be revealed.  
"We got Decepticons everywhere."  
"I've got my whole team deployed looking for them. Ironhide! Protect Sentinel! Get him locked up inside!"  
"Consider it done!"  
'Come on, show me the danger.' Emily uttered, scanning the HUD she had and nodding as the medical and mechanical teams slipped through her secondary shielding and into the trailer.  
"Hey, you've got to guard him, 'cause he's the key to the whole thing."  
"Indeed, I am. What you must realise, my Autobot brothers, is we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made with Megatron."

Reacting the moment Sentinel's first shot slammed through Ironhide's back, Emily gunned the engine and forced the truck to dance, the reinforced trailer slamming through several Department of Health and Human Services trailers before coming to a stop between Ironhide and Sentinel.  
'Ironhide's down! We are attempting stabilisation! Push Sentinel back!' Emily roared, forcing the secondary shielding bubble out and over Ironhide before leaping from the cab and running to the fallen warrior. 'Ironhide! Ironhide, up here!' she cried, scrambling onto his chest and kicking him in the chin.  
'It's over Emily…cosmic rust.'  
'It's not over until I say so. Now focus. Let us save you. We have the ability.'  
'Like Jazz.' Ironhide groaned, the rust eating away at his plates fast but Emily had faith.  
'Yeah, just like Jazz. Let us in, we can do this.' Emily nodded, looking up as the cable gantry folded out, neatly placing the download cables into her outstretched hand.  
'Not ready to go just yet.' Ironhide nodded, chestplates cracking open along with a smaller panel on his temple.  
'That's the way, hang in there Ironhide.' Emily grinned, picking her way over to the temple panel and hooking the cables in as Wheelie ran out the second gantry and prepared to transfer the spark. Everything had to be done in order and with split second timing or they'd lose Ironhide for good. 'Revs!'  
'Download commencing!'  
'Hang tight Ironhide, you're going to be okay. We've got time, I promise you.' Wheelie soothed, squeezing into his chestplates and positioning several secondary shield transmitters. Firing up the system, he was able to keep the rust away from the spark chamber but he had no idea how long they would hold.

Bounding back into the trailer and ignoring the battle around them, Emily dropped into one of the seats among the medical team and got busy, shunting the massive inflow of data and working to speed the transfer so the could get the spark stabilised before it was too late. They had no idea about the weapon they were dealing with, they'd never seen anything like it before but they were not going to quit while there was still the faintest chance of saving Ironhide's life.  
'34 percent and rising fast.'  
'There's so much data.'  
'Are we going to have space?'  
'Dump the files Prime downloaded but only if necessary.'  
'I'm reading energy fluctuations; we're losing secondary data systems.'  
'Focus on the primaries; we have to clear his mainframe.'  
'42 percent. He's fighting.'  
'Ironhide! Let go, we won't lose anything!'  
'Spark energy is fluctuating dangerously. Secondary shielding is holding.'  
"Emily!"  
'Not now Ratchet, I'm busy.'  
"But Ironhide…"  
'Will live! We can save him. Just push off and let me work!'  
"I'll be there as soon as I can."  
'Unless you can stop cosmic rust, it's pointless. He'll be alive…like Jazz.'  
"Ironhide!"  
"Wait for me Ratch."  
"Always. Be strong, you will live again. We will stand united once more."  
"I believe in you."  
'58 percent, we're doing good.'  
'Spark readings are levelling out again.'  
'Ratchet, whatever you're doing, it's working. Keep him calm.'  
"I will Emily."  
'64…65…66…67. Download is slowing.'  
'Come on Ironhide, just a little longer. We are not quitting on you so don't you dare give up.'  
"Hurts so bad…worse than anything."  
'I know Ironhide; it's going to be okay. Soon you will feel no pain at all. Just relax and let us take what needs to be taken.'  
'Download speed increasing again. 70…73…76…79.'  
"I'm on my way up Ironhide."  
"Stay back Ratch…won't risk you."  
"Ironhide!"  
'87 percent complete, come on Ironhide.'  
'Hard drives are registering 65 percent filled. We might just make it.'  
'Whoa! We need to pick up the pace Emily. Chestplates are crumbling away.'  
'Working as fast as we can Wheelie.'  
'92 percent, we're so close.'  
'Wheelie, prepare for Spark collection. We're on the home stretch.'  
'On it Emily. Goggles, the lift harness!'  
'Right here Wheelie.'  
'Odd Ball, get back to the controls, I do not want to know what this shit does to your arm.'  
'Already going Wheelie.'  
'96 percent.'  
'Nice and still Ironhide, this isn't going to be pleasant.'  
"Can't feel much, just go."  
'Alright big bro, here goes nothing.'  
'98 percent, we're almost there.'

Scrambling into the rusting chest of his friend, Wheelie wormed his way under Ironhide's spark chamber and ran out the webbing net to secure his spark for the transfer into the waiting containment chamber on the truck. Adjusting the net as he went, he emerged from the tight confines and stood, handing the four ends up to Goggles to attach to the waiting gantry. Hooking on the metal eyes and lining them up, Goggles stretched up and locked the corners over the gantry hook, securing them against slipping off before turning back to Wheelie.  
'Wheelie! Break the connections!'  
'goodbye Ironhide.' he uttered, remembering what Ratchet had told him as he slid back to the connections and severed them as quickly as he could. 'Go!'  
'Odd Ball!'  
'Copy!' Odd Ball replied, already activating the crane and lifting the disconnected spark clear.  
'Whoa, reading some serious fluctuations again!'  
'Ratchet! We need you to do whatever you did before to stabilise those fluctuations.'  
"I'll try, it's different now."  
'Fluctuations are stabilising, twenty seconds to containment.'  
'Come on Goggles, that chamber has to be ditched. We were too late to stop the rust getting to it.'  
'Let's get this done.'

Racing back to the trailer, the two mechanics rigged up the transfer crane and hooked onto the chamber the moment it was in reach. Righting it quickly, they pushed it the length of the trailer until it was butted up against the rubber seal marking the entrance to the spark stabilisation chamber.  
'Okay, here goes nothing.' Wheelie uttered, yanking on the manual override to open the chamber and waiting. Almost as if it knew, the dazzling blue ball of energy that was Ironhide left the damaged chamber and drifted into the much larger isolation chamber. Shoving the damaged spark chamber back, Wheelie slammed the hatch closed as Goggles heaved the damaged casing back out of the trailer before it could do any harm.  
'Ironhide, can you hear me? Please respond Ironhide.' Emily tried, fingers crossed as they waited for any kind of an answer.  
"I am here, Emily."  
'Thank you God. Thank you Primus. Thank you Ares. Thank you whoever is listening.' Emily uttered, turning back to look just as the last pieces of Ironhide's great metal bulk turned into nothing but flakes of rust.  
"Did it work? I can't feel him anymore."  
'The transfer was successful Ratchet. Ironhide is safe.'  
"So what happens now?" Ironhide asked; face appearing on the large screen at the front of the trailer.  
'We hit the road and get you to your new, more permanent home. This trailer won't hold you forever; soon you'll be in the system with Jazz.'  
'Mearing isn't going to like this.'  
'I know Revs but we don't have a lot of choice. We have to get out of here now. Ratchet, I'm going to need you for a while.'  
"There is work to be done here Emily but what do you need?"  
'I'm going to need someone to cover my back until I can get this rig up to speed and on the way back to Chicago. An hour of your time, that's all I need.'  
"I'm on my way up."  
'Thanks Ratchet. Alright bros, let's get this system ready for transport.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Looking up when Optimus rolled into the destroyed base, Falcon wiped the blood from his eyes and tried not to think about the tears also wetting his fur. He'd volunteered to be the one to tell Prime about Ironhide but it was already hard to even consider what to say.  
'We'll be outside Falcon.' Blade uttered, reaching up to squeeze one shoulder lightly before motioning for the team to follow him.  
'Yeah, take a look, Optimus! This is all on you!'  
'Sentinel hit the vault! Took the pillars.'  
'Come on, let's go. All right, notify the 101st Airborne! We need to hunt this thing down!'  
'Optimus, before you get all riled up about what that slagger Sentinel did, we need to talk.'  
'What is it Falcon?' Optimus asked, settling back on the floor and offering his hand to Falcon. Swallowing quickly, Falcon stepped onto his hand and knelt, his new rotary cannon resting across his knees.  
'We lost a brave soldier and a good friend today. This battle cost us dearly, your men more so than mine but the loss is still painful. I asked to be the one to tell you, it's what he would have wanted.' Falcon offered, fresh tears falling as he knelt there. 'Ironhide's gone, never to stand on the field of battle again.' he managed, voice cracking with emotion.  
'No, it can't be true. I never got the chance to say goodbye to him.'  
'Sentinel shot him, point blank in the back. He said something about cosmic rust before we lost contact.'  
'Truly a horrible death, he didn't deserve that.'  
'There is hope he will rise again but not for a good many years. The transfer was completed successfully, mainframe and spark were secured onboard the stabilisation rig.'  
'I didn't see the stabilisation rig on my way in, where is it?'  
'Well on the way back to Chicago. Ratchet's running escort duty until the rig is going full speed then he'll be back.'  
'Thank you for telling me this Falcon. I'm sure we will find a way to bring Ironhide back to all our lives.'  
'I have no doubt of that Optimus. Now come on, let's go deal with that slagger who dared take Ironhide!'  
'By all means Falcon.' Optimus nodded, setting the burly mouse on the ground and watching him mount up and leave before transforming and rumbling from the ruins.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Listening to the rumble of the engine under her feet, Emily grinned and made a few adjustments before tapping her comm and settling deeper into the seat.  
'Hey Ratchet, you still out there?'  
"Barely, I can't keep up with you."  
'That's okay, this rig is heavily modified for speed. This is a very time critical load. Head back to the fight, I'll get in touch with news about the second transfer.'  
"Emily, just promise me you'll take care of him. I can't lose him, not after all we've gone through together."  
'I will treat him with the utmost of care and respect Ratchet, don't worry. You focus on slagging Decepticons, I'll take care of Ironhide. Go on, Optimus and the others are going to need you now more than ever.'  
"I know. Without Ironhide's heavy weaponry, this fight just got a lot harder."  
'Trust in the mice, they might not be as big or strong as Ironhide but they know a thing or two about picking fights. They've tangled with Decepticons before, they know what to do.'  
"Will you be coming back this way?"  
'Not for a while, got to get Ironhide settled in and keep an eye on him for a few days to make sure he doesn't fragment like Jazz did.'  
"I'll be in touch Emily. And the next chance you get, tell Ironhide I love him."  
'I will Ratchet, I promise on my life. Now go on, everything will be okay.'  
"Until we next meet Emily, ride free."  
'Ride free Ratchet, until all are one.'

Glancing in the wing mirror, Emily watched Ratchet transform and wave before turning and heading back towards Washington DC to get back at Sentinel for taking Ironhide. Sighing softly, she picked one of the CD's in the central console and slipped it into the player, the music expressing her pain like she couldn't until Ironhide was safe once again.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Gathering again, the mice could only stare in horror as hundreds of Decepticons burst from the bridge Sentinel had created and ran rampant, destroying everything they touched. For a moment they were back on Mars, watching their homes being destroyed by the Plutarkians and then the Catatonians, their homes crushed and friends butchered everywhere. Then Falcon stood tall, feet planted on Armageddon's broad back as he hefted his rotary cannon high.  
'For Ironhide!' he roared, breaking the spell over his bros and giving them a new reason to fight. 'For our home!'  
'For Ironhide! For our home!' they chanted, checking weapons and preparing for another fight. With a great roar of engines, the bikes made their feelings known in chorus, everyone standing up for a fallen comrade and determined to fight one last grand battle for his memory. Quietening down again, the group split in every direction, getting right into the heart of the battle and doing whatever damage they could to the Decepticons.

Weaving and ducking, skidding and jumping, the mice pulled out all the stops in their determination to be the best, setting up hasty plans and constantly keeping the Decepticons guessing about their plans and battle tactics. There was chaos around them, civilians and soldiers running every which way as they tried to get organised or escape the battlefield but the mice were calm, orders unhurried and clearly given.  
'Contact!'  
'Watch out!'  
'Move it! Move it!'  
'Autobots, retreat!'  
"Sidewinder, take your squad and back Optimus up, the rest of us will do what we can here."  
"Copy that Blade."

Following Optimus and Sentinel, Sidewinder, Raider and Splat discussed various plans to deal with the main instigator of this round but none of them were brimming with their usual confidence. They'd all seen how easily Sentinel deflected human built missiles and weren't sure theirs would fare any better.  
"We have to try Sidewinder. Three pronged attack, he might get two but one is bound to strike."  
'We can't risk hitting Optimus though, Splat. With Ironhide out of the fight, we need all the strength we can muster.'  
"We don't have a lot of choice, we have to do something."  
'I know Raider, I know. Alright, we'll give it a shot. Use the heaviest load outs you've got, we have to make this bastard pay.'  
"we will Sidewinder, count on it.'

Spreading out in the darkness, the mice sat silently and waited for their moment, three of their heaviest explosive tipped weapons ready for firing and already targeted on Sentinel. They'd worked out distances and made the appropriate adjustments so that all three would meet their target at the same time, giving Sentinel quite a mess to think about.  
"Why, Sentinel, why?"  
"For Cybertron! For our home! What war destroyed, we can rebuild! But only if we join with the Decepticons!"  
"No, it's not the only way. This is our home! We must defend the humans!"  
"So lost you are, Optimus. On Cybertron, we were gods. And here, they call us machines. Let the humans serve us, or perish."  
'Now!' Sidewinder hissed, thumb jamming down on the trigger mechanism.

Blasting from the launchers, the three missiles closed the distance in seconds, hazy trails marking their progress but not the way back to the launches. As soon as the missiles were away, the bikes had moved to new locations, all sensors tuned to the missiles. Watching with baited breath, the mice waited for the impacts. They got a show, but not quite the show they were hoping for. Moving faster than anticipated, Sentinel was able to batter aside the two from Raider and Splat but as he turned to face the third missile again, it exploded. Blasting outwards into a cloud of shrapnel, the third missile peppered Sentinel's armour with frag, shattering his windows and lodging in between parts and panels.  
"You never told us to use fraggers instead of impactors."  
'Intentionally so Raider. I was expecting one of you to use a glooper but whatever works.'  
"You're the better glooper, we haven't the skills to match your abilities there."  
'True enough but we still got the job done. Sentinel's not so focused on Optimus anymore.'  
"Nah, now he's out to kill us."  
'Not a chance. The Autobots will stick up for us, just as we always stick up for them.'  
"He's gone, Sidewinder. Come over here."  
'On our way Optimus.'

Making their way around to the kneeling Prime, the trio shouldered their launchers and dismounted, still quite proud of their efforts in stirring Sentinel up a little bit more.  
'I'm not even going to ask where you three came up with that idea.'  
'Does it matter Optimus, really?' Sidewinder shrugged, glancing at his bros.  
'What you did was incredibly risky. Not just for you but me as well.'  
'Optimus, relax. We know what we're doing. If Sentinel had gone you again, we would have drawn his attention back to us, no sweat. As it is, he's going to be picking frag out of his parts for quite a while to come.'  
'A glooper on top of that would have been better but that's still going to keep him occupied. Not to mention make transformations a real bitch.' Splat sniggered, listening to the battle.  
'I do not understand. Glooper?'  
'Oh yeah, you weren't around to see us build the glooper missiles. Basically, we've got missiles that fire this incredibly sticky substance that we call gloop. Gloop is nasty stuff to work with, it sticks to everything and attempting to pick it off usually results in spreading the stuff around. You can't freeze it off, you can't melt it off, and you can't wash it off. The only way to get rid of it shave it off and suffer the regrowth. No idea how he'd get rid of the stuff but since we didn't use it, no need to worry.' Raider explained, digging in his pouches and coming out with a plastic container of the stuff. Looking closely at the sample, Optimus couldn't see just what was so bad about the stuff but when Raider obligingly placed a drop on his extended finger, he soon realised.

Trying hard not to piss themselves laughing, the mice watched Optimus battling with the gloop on his finger and refusing to budge no matter what he tried. Then he made a mistake, poking the substance and managing to stick his fingers together.  
'This has to rate as a very cruel weapon Sidewinder. Are you certain there is no way to release the grip is has on my fingers now?'  
'Well, there is one way we've discovered to get this gloop of metal surfaces but you ain't gonna like it Optimus.'  
'At this stage, I'll try anything.' Optimus sighed, giving up struggling against the intense hold.  
'Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you.' Sidewinder sighed, fishing a small vial from his top pocket and motioning for Optimus to lower his hands. Ever so carefully, Sidewinder uncapped the vial and tipped it slowly. Five small drops of the bright blue liquid trickled onto the gloop and he cleared out, capping the vial and scrambling back as they waited for the reaction.

For a few moments nothing happened but with quite a shocking reaction, the liquid went to work. Crying out in shock and pain, Optimus wrenched his hands apart and looked at his fingertips, staring at the acid burns now pitting the tender surfaces.  
'We did try to warn you it wouldn't be pleasant. Here, this will take the sting out of it.' Splat soothed, holding up a green vial.  
'What was that Sidewinder?' Optimus asked, obediently offering out his hands again.  
'A particularly strong Martian created acid. We've tried thousands of things to clear the gloop from workbenches and test areas and that's the only stuff that does the job.'  
'That feel a bit better?' Splat asked, letting the green alkaline pool in the burns to neutralise the harsh acid.  
'Much better. Thank you Splat. Now we really must get back to the battle at hand.'  
'Lead the way Optimus, we're with you all the way.' Sidewinder grinned, whistling for his bike and mounting up.


	4. Shattered

Huddled together in one of Emily's few above ground bases, the exhausted Martians and Autobots all watched the large flat screen TV on the wall, waiting to see what was going to happen in response to Sentinel's demands to exile the Autobots.  
"It's been a remarkable series of events today at the Capitol. Just moments ago, legislation was passed to exile the Autobots from American shores. The US military alliance with them is officially over."  
'No! They can't do that! This isn't right.' Decal cried, muting the TV and glaring at the screen.  
'Emily's got other bases; she can hide you guys somewhere else.' Slash offered, turning hopeful eyes to Optimus. 'You're only exiled from American soil.'  
'If the humans want us to leave Slash, we will leave. Autobots, prepare to head for the Xanthium.' Optimus instructed, striding from the warehouse.  
'No, we can't just leave Prime. What about Jazz? What about Ironhide?' Ratchet tried, unwilling to believe they were just giving up.  
'They will be safe Ratchet; Emily swore she would protect them. No one else knows where they are.'  
'I made a promise Prime; I swore I'd get Jazz back with us within six years.'  
'It's out of our hands Ratchet. It's time for us to leave.'  
'Do I at least get a chance to say goodbye?'  
'We cannot risk anyone else finding out about Emily's hidden base. Ironhide and Jazz are depending on us to keep them a secret.'  
'You cannot order me to abandon Ironhide. You know our story.'  
'There is nothing that can be done Ratchet. We either leave peacefully or the humans will force us out. Ironhide would not approve of you risking so many lives just for him and you know it.'  
'Stop it; both of you just fuckin' stop it!' Braidy screamed, fed up with the arguing and pain. 'Ratchet, there's a private workshop in there. I'll set my helmet up and you can record a private goodbye. I will personally see that he gets it at the best possible speed without compromising security.'  
'I'd appreciate that Braidy, thank you.' Ratchet nodded, following Braidy through to the private room.  
'Anyone else want to record a message for Jazz or Ironhide? Maybe even something for Emily.' Emission asked, helmet tucked under his arm.  
'I'd like to say a few words.' Sideswipe replied, collecting Emission and heading outside to find a quiet spot.  
'So would I. I never knew Jazz but I think we would have gotten along.' Dino agreed, waiting for Christine to grab her helmet before driving off to find a spot to make his recording.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Forming an honour guard, the mice knew they were entering dangerous territory but they couldn't find the energy to care as they rode solemnly along beside the Autobots, everyone freshly showered and wearing the cleanest outfits they had in their emergency kits. Bikes polished and weapons unloaded as a sign of good faith, the team rode on into the unknown, massive weights crushing each and every one of them. Nobody dared break the mournful silence on the comms, there was nothing left to say that hadn't been said on the trip down.

Entering the facility proper, the mice peeled away from the Autobots and lined up, engines falling silent as the riders dismounted and strode forward, automatically falling into ranks long unused. They didn't have the heart to look upon the ship that would take their friends away, it was too painful to acknowledge the goodbye as friends. Turning in the shadow of the ship, the Autobots lined up opposite the mice, a final respect between allies torn apart by no choice of their own. Snapping to attention, the Martians showed their military heritage, saluting their comrades and trying desperately to keep their emotions in check.  
'Stand Alone Unit 14 salutes you, gallant warriors. Our paths crossed all too briefly but I know we will all carry tactics and ideas forward into whatever battles we are drawn. We will remember the lessons you have taught us and carry on the mission to remove the Decepticons from this world, even when the humans have lost the will to fight. We are refugees here, this is not our true home but we will defend it at all costs.' Blade declared, removing something from his top pocket. 'With your permission, we have one gift to grant each of you.'  
"You may, Commander."   
'Section Heads, step up.' Blade snapped, waiting for officers to move up before they all approached the Autobots. Opening the cage that held Wheelie and Brains, Bonfire and Slash lifted the pair out and held them gently.

Stepping up beside Optimus, Blade reached out and smoothed a shining white sticker on his door. Peeling off the backing paper revealed the design in all its glory. There in ancient Martian glyphs was a promise, a promise of unending friendship. Five glyphs - SAU 14. Moving as one, the rest of the section heads repeated the gesture, marking all the Autobots as lifelong friends and honour members of the unit. Returning to the unit, the officers turned again and saluted before shocking everyone. Shifting their weight back, the officers dropped into ritualised bows, the ultimate of respect and honour among the Martian people. Weight forward, heads down, arms held wide and back, they were in a disadvantageous position but they were not afraid. Holding the bows for a minute, they straightened and moved back into the ranks proper before everyone went down to one knee and stayed there.

Remembering a conversation he'd shared with Blade about Martian rituals, Optimus signalled the Autobots and transformed, ignoring all the other people watching as they returned the ritual bow as best they could, what with armour and less general flexibility than the mice enjoyed. Moving with grace few expected them to have, the Autobots went through the same motions and knelt, returning the honour and respect.  
'SAU 14 welcomes you, our brothers in arms.' Blade intoned, lifting his gaze slowly.  
'We will bring honour to the unit. We will fight with courage and determination against any foe. We will never back down. We will remain true to our people and our home.' Optimus replied, locking gazes with Blade.  
'We are honoured to call you bro.'  
'And we you.'  
'Now, go forth and bring glory to our unit as only you can.' Blade snapped, rising and throwing his shoulders back. 'SAU 14!' he cried, right fist raised high.  
'SAU 14!' up when the chorus, Martian and Autobot standing tall and strong as one unit. Lowering their hands, the mice turned as one and went back to their bikes, mounting up and leaving the compound without another glance. This was the way it had to be as a new section of SAU 14 was sent out on their proving mission.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Standing their vigil as was proper, the mice ranked up and watched the massive ship preparing for takeoff. Treating this like an initiation made it a little easier but it still hurt.  
'Emily's going to be so upset she wasn't here.' Braid uttered, heavy rifle hanging over his shoulder.  
'She's got bigger problems. Ironhide and Jazz need her.' Stephen replied, glancing at his brother for a moment.  
'How are we going to tell them about this?' Dakota asked, a lone tear running down his cheek.  
'We have the messages, that's a start. We have to be gentle though.' Tar shrugged, not sure what else they could do.  
'There they go, off into the wild yonder.' Blade sighed, all eyes lifting to watch the launch.

Adjusting HUDs and zooming in on the leaving shuttle, the Martians offered silent goodbyes and fought back the tears as they held their ground, hope crumbling around them.  
'Guys, I've got an incoming object heading right for the Xanthium.' Phantom called, his zoom one of the best in the unit. 'It's heading for the ship…weapons are in the air.'  
'There's nothing happening. They're still right on course.' Decal added, horrified by what he was reading. 'I count four missiles in the air, heading right for the ship.'  
'No, this can't be happening! No! Not like this!' Daytona screamed, watching the mighty ship explode and fall back to Earth. Screaming in shock and disbelief, the mice almost refused to believe what was going on but the static on the Autobot comms was proof of their loss.  
'We have to get out of here bros. It's time for us to get back to Chicago. Nothing more can be done here.' Blade instructed, tears stinging his eyes as he turned away from the destruction. 'SAU 14, mount up!' he snapped, trying to restore some order to the group. Responding to the authority in his voice, the rest of the team turned away and mounted up, following Blade from the launch site and back onto the long road home.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Isolated below ground, Emily felt the city shake and swore, securing her two computer systems and hoping this was nothing serious. Switching to the external camera feeds, she swallowed and swore again, switching languages in an attempt to find words to match the new fear racing through her as she witnessed the devastation being created above her head. Everywhere she looked through her external eyes, she could see people running for their lives, buildings being destroyed and Decepticons in their hundreds.  
"Emily, what's going on out there?" Jazz asked, appearing on one of the screens.  
"Come on Emily, what do you see?" Ironhide added, appearing on another screen.  
'The Decepticons are here, in Chicago. I'm seeing destruction everywhere and no sign of any Autobots. This is bad you two, this is real bad.'  
"What do we do now Emily?"  
'There's nothing we can do Ironhide. My base defences are for anyone breaking in, not for nailing Decepticons out there. All we can do is wait and hope that someone is coming to deal with this.'  
"Surely there's something you can do Emily."  
'Jazz, I'm just one woman. I can't take on that Decepticon army alone. The mice are still out of radio reach, I have no idea what's going on with the Autobots and I still have to secure the base.'  
"What do you mean what's going on with the Autobots?"  
'Comms have cut to static. I can't raise anyone on the standard channels or the emergency ones.'  
"Now that is a worry. Ratchet's always listening to the emergency channel, just in case."  
'Now you can understand my concern. The best thing I can do right now is batten down the hatches, get the backups running at full effect and try to find out what's going on out there.'  
"You're gonna go out there Em? All alone."  
'No choice Jazz. Someone's gotta figure out what's going on out there. You'll be okay, this base is built tough. Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have Harley with me, he'll keep me safe.'  
"Harley? Who's Harley?"  
'My Martian upgraded bike. He's not as smart as Armageddon, Beast or any of the actual Martian bikes but he's damn close. Reinforced, armed and given the best AI Wheelie had in the inventory, he's a mean machine.'  
"But can he really keep you safe?"  
'He'll do the job better than anyone else available at the moment. Do not worry, I will survive this chaos and return.' Emily soothed, leaving the external feeds running and taking off to prepare the base for assault.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cruising back towards Chicago, Blade almost wiped out when his helmet comm buzzed for an external call. Signalling for Beast to take over the driving, he opened the channel and hoped it wasn't Emily on the other end.  
"Blade, its Sam. Where are you guys?"  
'We're en route to Chicago. Why do you ask?'  
"I know I have no right to ask you this but I need your help."  
'Sam, we owe you nothing. We are going back to Chicago and that's final.'  
"I'm heading to Chicago, Carly's there and I intend to rescue her."  
'We have our own problems in Chicago Sam. Emily is there, protecting the only Autobots left on Earth.'  
"Some of them didn't leave? Then they can help us."  
'No, they can't. Ironhide and Jazz are of no use to anyone in their current states. With Ratchet gone, all hope of returning them to this world is lost. They're both going to spend a very long time trapped in cyberspace before they are eventually lost forever.'  
"I don't understand."  
'And you never will, child. If you're making your way to Chicago fine but don't expect us to save your hide. We have enough on our plates with the mission Optimus left in our hands.'  
"He left the mission to defend Earth to all of us."  
'You cannot hope to truly stand up to the dangers of the Decepticons. We have upgraded weapons, based off information we got from Ironhide. Our shielding has been improved by Ratchet's gift. We understand the Decepticons because of Optimus. What gifts did any of them leave you with?'  
"I…"  
'I thought as much. Our two races will never see eye to eye Samuel, of that I am certain. The only reason we are still here is because we work in the shadows. This is so dangerous for us but we will never back down.'  
"You saved my life in Egypt, I haven't forgotten that."  
'Bumblebee asked us to watch over you, we fulfilled that contract and now we are free to deal with the Decepticons without worrying about watching out for humans. Goodbye Samuel.' Blade scoffed, adjusting their comms so Witwicky couldn't get in contact with them again.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Securing her weapons and checking the charge on the shielding systems protecting Harley, Emily turned back to the twin screens on the wall, gazing tenderly at Ironhide and Jazz as they watched over her preparations.  
'I'll be okay guys, I don't know the meaning of the words give up. I'll make it back, no matter what.'  
"We're allowed to worry Emily."  
'And I'm grateful you are worried for my safety Ironhide.'  
"Are you sure there's nothing we can do?"  
'Well, I suppose you could work on defending the base. Jazz, I want you to watch the external cameras, I know you've got access to all of them. When you see a Decepticon getting too close to the base, tell Ironhide.'  
"And what am I supposed to do about it?"  
'You have access to my base defences, use them. You won't be able to get every Decepticon that gets close but I know you'll make me proud.'  
"Sure thing Emily. Hey, could you do me a favour in return?"  
'Name it Ironhide.'  
"I created a program for Ratchet, see that he gets it. It's on that external hard drive there." Ironhide instructed, using one of the workbench lights to draw attention to the device.  
'I'll make certain he gets this and downloads your file.' Emily promised, gathering up the drive and cable and tucking them both securely into one of Harley's little storage areas.  
"Thanks Emily. He'll know it the moment he connects."  
'I'll tell him Ironhide.'  
"You'd better get moving Emily. We've got Decepticons coming mighty close."  
'Thanks Jazz. We'll be back guys, keep the base as safe as you can.' Emily instructed, mounting up and racing out of the base.

Weaving through the destruction, Emily fought her instinct to fight back down and headed south, knowing she needed to find the mice and organise a plan before anything could be done to save their home. Lifting her gaze to the heavens, she dug deep for strength and courage against what looked to be almost impossible odds. Leaving the worst of the destruction behind, she skidded under a downed train and stopped, staring in disbelief at what she could see. SAU 14 were just sitting there, staring at the damaged city and looking more than a little lost. Picking up her feet again, Emily let Harley take over and find them a safe track through to the mice.

Looking up when Emily joined the ranks, the guys managed a few weak smiles and small waves but they were too worn down to have any idea about what to do next.  
'Where are the Autobots? What's taking them so long?' she asked, desperate for any answers.  
'They're not coming Emily. We're on our own. The government exiled them, they were going to leave the planet but their ship was shot down and totally destroyed. There's no one else left to fight.' Blade replied, voice betraying no emotions.  
'No, no, no! I refuse to believe that.'  
'It's true Emily, we all saw it happen. The Autobots are gone.' Christine sighed, glancing at Braid sadly.  
'What am I gonna tell Jazz and Ironhide?' Emily groaned, slumping over the handlebars and sobbing softly.  
'How are we supposed to save Chicago? We're no match for Megatron and forget about those ships up there.' Revs whispered, shaking his head slowly.  
'I don't know Revs, I just don't know. I'm not sure we can save Chicago, let alone the world.' Slash uttered, seeing Brimstone all over again as he watched Chicago burn.


	5. Hope Rises

Turning to look when they heard car doors slamming behind them, the Martian team nodded slowly and turned their bikes around, heading to meet the human group that had just arrived.  
'Oh, so now you want to be friendly again. Go to hell Blade and take your misfits with you.' Witwicky called, glaring at the taller Martian with unbridled hatred.  
'We didn't ask for this Sam, we never wanted to be dragged into a sixth war. But we're in this now and we're all that stands between earth and the Decepticons. This is stressful on everyone, tempers are going to fray.' Emily soothed, dismounting and motioning for Blade to follow her. 'I don't know what was said but now is the time to shake hands and pull together. We have to win this one.'  
'I'm sorry Sam; I've just got so much to worry about now. This is the fifth time I've seen my home destroyed, it's a lot to take in.' Blade nodded, offering his hand in friendship again.  
'I can't pretend to know what you've gone through Blade but I'm willing to have another go at this friendship.' Sam agreed, clasping Blade's hand firmly.  
'Okay, now we can get serious. Move up guys, it's time to look at taking our city back.' Emily called, the Martians instantly coming up around her.  
'Now wait a minute, who put you in charge?'  
'Epps, I'm not trying to be a leader but I know the mice and I know military tactics and protocol. I'm ex-Marine Corps; I know a thing or two about running a military operation. But if you want to give your own orders; that's fine by me mate.' Emily shrugged, swinging onto Harley and motioning her team forward.

Looking up when three fighters raced onto the scene, the horror soon became clear as all three were destroyed in moments by the Decepticon fighters.  
'My God.'  
'We came here to find her in the middle of all that?'  
'Are we really going out there, Epps?'  
'I'm not going in there.'  
'No one's going in.'  
'I am. With or without you, I'll find her.'  
'Not alone Sam, I'll go with you.' Emily corrected, pulling up beside him. 'Carly's a lucky woman to have you.'  
'Thanks Emily.' Sam replied, mounting up behind her.  
'You're gonna get yourself killed, Sam. Is that what you want? Is that what you want?'  
'Think about this Emily. Ironhide and Jazz are waiting for you; I know you would have told them you're coming back.'  
'I will be coming back Carbon, make no doubt of that. My word is my bond, I do not break promises.'  
'You came all the way out here to get yourself killed? Huh? Listen to what I'm saying.' Epps tried, grabbing Sam and pulling him off the bike.  
'She's here because of me. Do you understand?' Sam replied, shaking Epps off and mounting up.  
'listen, if you go into this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're gonna be able to reach her!'  
'What do you suggest I do?'  
'It's over. I'm sorry, but it's over.'  
'Epps, it's not over until the last soldier puts down their weapon and surrenders. It's not over until the human race has been totally enslaved. It's not going to be over until these mice that stand here are dead. It's never going to be over.' Emily snarled, determined to never quit while she still breathed. She'd made her promises and would see them fulfilled.  
'Incoming!'

Snapping to look, Emily swore and yanked Harley around, gunning it back towards the shelter of a damaged building. Swinging around again, she glanced back at Sam apologetically before shoving him off the bike and charging back into the fray. Seeing what the weapons on these fighters did to people, even the Martians fled for shelter, racing into the damaged buildings and hauling any humans they could reach to safety behind them. This wasn't something they were trained for and it had them all scared. Risking a peek outside, Decal watched in confusion as the fighter went down, shot from the other end of the street.  
'I don't fuckin' believe it. Guys, it's okay. We're going to be okay. Come outside, you're not going to believe this.' he grinned, mounting up and breaking cover then swerving suddenly when a rather large casing almost flattened him. 'Oi! Watch it up there!'  
'We will kill them all.' Optimus declared, looking at the downed fighter for a moment before looking down. 'Oh, sorry Decal.'  
'It's alright you big hunk of scrap.' Decal grinned; confident Optimus would take no offence.  
'Wreckers, kill him!'  
'This is going to hurt! A lot!'  
'Ohh, seriously gruesome.' Emily winced, watching the Wreckers tear the Decepticon into pieces.  
'Your leaders will now understand. Decepticons will never leave your planet alone. And we needed them to believe we had gone. For today, in the name of freedom, we take the battle to them!'

Looking around as the Autobots raced into the area and transformed, the mice couldn't believe what they were seeing. The weight was gone from their shoulders, replaced with a steely determination to reclaim their home once and for all. They were all tired of getting kicked around and now was their time to shine. They weren't afraid anymore, their odds were improving but they all knew this was still going to be one hell of a fight.  
'I saw your ship blow up!'  
'The ship? We were never in the ship! We designed the damn thing, didn't we?' Roadbuster scoffed, ripping apart another piece of Decepticon as he spoke.  
'We were hidden in the first booster rocket to separate. Splashed down back in the Atlantic, just as planned.' Leadfoot added, tossing aside another piece of their kill and spitting on it. 'We ain't going nowhere.'  
'Yeah, no one's exiling us.'  
'The Autobots are staying right here. We're gonna help you win this war.'  
'They're surrounding the city to make a fortress so that no one can see what they're up to inside. Our only chance is the element of surprise.'  
'I think I know where to look!'

Jolting from her thoughts when Harley trilled a little reminder, Emily nodded and dug out the drive, cradling it safely to her chest as she dismounted and jogged over to where Ratchet was standing. Taking a knee, Ratchet scooped Emily up and looked at the drive she was holding, wondering why she'd brought it out here.  
'Ironhide asked me to get this to you, he created a program and downloaded it to this drive. He said you'd know it the moment you connected. I swore I'd make the delivery.'  
'A program? This could be interesting.' Ratchet mused, wirelessly assessing the drive and scrolling through the files. 'Oh Ironhide, you old romantic. You always know just what I need.' he uttered, downloading the file simply titled I4R.  
'Ironhide romantic? Doesn't sound like the Ironhide I know.' Emily remarked, wondering just what Ironhide had created.  
'You don't know him like I do Emily. Trust me, he's got a romantic side.'  
'I'll believe that when I see it.'  
'How's this for proof.' Ratchet uttered, placing her down and transforming before opening the door. Confused now, Emily climbed in and settled as the radio clicked on and a romantic love song came through the speakers.  
"This is what was in the program. Hours and hours worth of romantic songs."  
'Well I'll be damned, he does have a romantic side.'  
"Yeah, now keep it a secret. He doesn't want everyone to know."  
'You can trust me Ratchet.' Emily replied, climbing out and returning to Harley. 'Alright bros, let's go take our city back!'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Taking up new positions near Bumblebee's crashed fighter, the Martians spread out and kept a sharp lookout for anything hinky anywhere in their vicinity. They didn't just watch the roads and the sky but sensors, heat detectors, energy trails and sound alerts on all sides.  
'Form a perimeter! Let's go! Let's go!'  
'Well, you're crazy.'  
'Crazy we can work with.' Emily chuckled, shaking out her hair and looking around. 'Hammer, I want you to head below ground. Use sub-entrance 34 and head for control room Beta 25. I don't know if it's of any help to them but get those cameras passing their information back to every military and government installation you can reach. I don't know what's active or dead or even what the tunnels are like. Patch everyone in on what you discover, we need to know the status of the network for our own purposes.'  
'I'll handle it Emily. Ares watch over all of you.' Hammer nodded, swinging back into the saddle and racing away.  
'Where's he going?' Epps asked, watching the white mouse ride away.  
'To one of my many underground facilities under Chicago. Hopefully we can get some visual cues out to Lennox and anyone else who can help us survive this fight. No promises but he'll give it his best. He's also going to get us the data we need on the tunnels so we can figure out which routes are still available for all of us.' Emily explained, swinging back onto Harley and whipping around.  
'We need to move before the fighters spot us. Wait here until we scout ahead.'  
'Optimus, I've got another idea. But I need you to trust me on this one.'  
'Go ahead Emily, I think I've already proven just how much I trust you.'  
'Alright bros, we know this city better than anyone else out there. We know the back ways and the underground networks. We don't have the advantage of high ground but we do have the deeper understanding of this city. Now it's on our shoulders to show the Autobots how to sneak around this city. Use the primary tunnels but be careful, there's no telling what damage has been done. Get it done quickly, quietly and safely.' she called, glancing up at Optimus. 'That do the trick?'  
'I believe so Emily but tunnels? I am uncertain that is a good idea.'  
'The tunnels are big enough if that's what you're worried about. I use them all the time to transport equipment in to, out of and around Chicago without being seen. We know the secrets of this city, it's time to put that knowledge to good use. Teams of three for every Autobot, the rest of us will spread out on the surface and keep things interesting. Falcon, I know you probably want to stick with your new friend there but I could really use your heavy weapons up top.'  
'You've got it Emily.' Falcon nodded, glancing at Dino for a moment before moving to take up a position off Emily's left shoulder. Responding to the authority that Emily wielded, the mice scattered with the Autobots, some heading for the nearest underground access points while the rest just took off into the streets to get a better fix on the situation. 

#~#+^*^+#~#

Riding close to Optimus, Sidewinder had to do some very creative driving to avoid getting caught in the deadly embrace of the Driller, the meanest Decepticon around at the moment. That thing was making mincemeat out of the pavement, a fact that had Sidewinder very worried. He only got more panicky when Optimus' trailer was batted aside like paper by this ugly beast. Diving off his bike, Sidewinder landed heavily on Optimus' turntable and scrambled to his feet, swinging his launcher into position and taking aim on the Driller.  
'Eat gloop Decepticon punk!' he roared, launching his gloop missile and jumping back onto his bike. 'Come on Optimus, floor it. That's the biggest target we've ever tried to gloop.'  
"I'm not built for speed Sidewinder."  
'Frag it. Smash, go for the hop.' Sidewinder groaned, hanging on tight as his bike snapped around and jumped onto the turntable.  
"What are you doing back there Sidewinder?"  
'Trying to save your hulking aft!' he shot back, loading up another gloop missile and firing. 'How many fragging heads does this fucker have?'  
"At least eight."  
'Shit, I don't have that many gloopers and fraggers ain't gonna work.'  
"Hang on back there."  
'What do you think we're doing back here?'  
"I don't want to know."  
'Ingrate. Should have left you struggling with the gloop on your fingers.'  
"You wouldn't dare."  
'You'd be surprised what I'll do when I'm ticked off.'

Diving off Optimus' back once they were inside another building, Sidewinder took up a covering position nearby and waited, heavy rifle held steady at the nearest window.  
'That is one scary-ass Decepticon.'  
'No shit Epps. We'll beat it though, somehow.'  
'They got my trailer. I need that flight tech.'  
'Can I request a new Autobot?' Speed asked, checking his bike over quickly and dressing his gravel rash before mounting up again.  
'Sure. You take Optimus. I'll work with Sideswipe.' Sidewinder replied, glancing at the younger mouse.  
'It's a deal Sidewinder.'  
'You'll be with Blade and Odd Ball.'  
'No sweat. You've got Shift and Metric.'  
'I can live with that.' Sidewinder nodded, bounding back onto his bike and slipping in near Sideswipe.  
'Shockwave can't hunt all of us at once. Wreckers, we need a diversion.'  
'Let's get some!'  
'You got that right.'  
'Listen, we're gonna circle around to that glass building. And we'll get high enough to make the rocket shot while you guys draw his fire. Let's move!'  
'Wait a minute! I'm not letting you go out there without my urban combat prototypes.'  
'We got to go Que. Come on.'  
'They're great inventions for kicking ass!'  
'What are these?'  
'Those are boom-sticks. Armed in 30 seconds. Grapple gloves, for climbing.'  
'Come on Que, let's move out.' Wheelie groaned, waiting on his bike for the mad inventor.  
'Alright Wheelie, I'm coming.' Que replied, transforming and taking off after Wheelie.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Responding to the sounds of a battle nearby, Tank swung around and shot out of the tunnels, launching two missiles in the same direction the Wreckers were firing before touching down and skidding around to line up among them. Heavy rifle braced, he eased back the trigger and sent the barrels into a spin, adding to the flood of empty casings on the ground. Backing up as the Decepticon advanced, Darlin' added to the firestorm with both forward lasers and her central missile launcher but they didn't seem to be having much of an effect. Making the choice, she hit reverse and followed the Wreckers, not wanting to get caught out in the middle of the carnage with no backup.

Picking up on a couple Autobot signals on his HUD, Bits coaxed Scrap Babe around and through the narrow side street, hoping their secondary shield would hold. Sensing Shockwave, the blue, red and green bike snapped around and took off, racing right between Wheelie and Brains. Lunging off to the right, Bits snagged Wheelie in his hands and Brains in his tail before righting himself again.  
'You two okay?' he asked, leaning with his bike as they made their escape.  
'Yeah, we're okay.' Wheelie nodded, looking up at Bits quickly.  
"Bits, we could use some backup at the marked co-ords."  
'Copy that Hunter, inbound.' Bits replied, nudging Scrap Babe again. 'Sorry fellas, gotta let you go. I'm needed in the hottest spot.'  
'It's okay Bits, you got us away from Shockwave and that's what matters.' Brains replied, patting the hand holding him safely.  
'I'll make this gentle guys.' Bits grinned, spotting a suitable drop site and leaning out. Releasing Wheelie first, he passed Brains from his left hand to his right and released him into a pile of garbage. It smelled bad but at least the landing was soft.  
"Thanks for the ride Bits."  
'No sweat lil' bros.'

Looking up when his HUD warned him of another threat, Bits had next to no time to react once he saw the flaming whatever-the-fuck-that-is. Scrap Babe had the time though and used it well, gunning her engine and slipping clear with a neat slide seconds before it crashed down into the street. Then the weird metallic ball or whatever it was cracked open and transformed, scaring Bits half to death. Scrap Babe didn't appreciate the sight either and backed up, weapons folding out in readiness to defend her rider.  
'Whoa, steady girl, steady. It's okay, that's another Autobot.' Bits soothed, looking up at the confused 'Bot standing there.  
"Bits, where are you?"  
'Sorry Emily, minor setback. We just about got flattened by a new arrival for the Autobot ranks.'  
"I see. Take care of him."  
'Wilco Emily.'  
'Where am I?' the new arrival asked, looking around for a moment before glancing down and spotting Bits. 'Can you tell me wheat's going on here?'  
'Sure, I'll give it to you real simple. The Decepticons are here, in bigger numbers than we've faced before. Can you fight or do you need a moment?'  
'I must find a vehicle to scan, I cannot fight like this.'  
'That I can handle. Follow me…what's your name?'  
'My designation is Prowl.'  
'I'm Bits. This way, I know where you might find a suitable alt mode.'  
'Lead the way Bits.' Prowl nodded, breaking into a jog to keep up with the smaller creature.

Finding the underground entrance he needed, Bits triggered the doors and raced inside, Prowl moving along the tunnels as best he could before they came into another open area filled with cars.  
'These are the only undamaged vehicles left in the city. Pick one and let's get out there.'  
'This one will do nicely.' Prowl replied, scanning one and dropping to his wheels. Bits had to smile at his choice, Emily's favourite black Lamborghini Gallardo.  
'Looking good Prowl. This tunnel will take us to the main fight, let's go.'  
"Right behind you Bits."  
'Optimus will be grateful for another soldier in the ranks. It's been a hell of a week.'  
"It will be good to see some of my friends again. Tell me, do you know if Jazz is here?"  
'Uhhh, he's here in a strange kind of way. I can't go into details right now but when we've saved Chicago, I'll explain everything.'  
"I understand. We cannot be distracted from the fight."  
'Something like that.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Whistling into her comms, Emily called a Martian regroup in a damaged warehouse, taking a moment to scan her bros for injuries before redeploying the team to new locations.  
'Sidewinder, take your section and head to Witwicky's location, Driller is after him. Braid, take your section and back them up. Falcon, your boys are some of the biggest, see if you can do some damage to Shockwave without getting splattered. We can't keep screwing around like this, guys.'  
'We're on it Emily.' Sidewinder nodded, briefing his section as they raced away.  
'We'll make 'em pay.' Braid added, leading his team out after Sidewinder.  
'Come on bros, this big boy is ours.' Falcon grinned, charging out again.  
'The rest of you, focus on roving duties. The Autobots know how to take down Decepticons on a grand scale, it's up to us to watch their backs. Let's ride!'

Engines screaming in chorus, Intruder, Babe and Smash swept down the street in tight formation, Raider, Splat and Sidewinder balanced on their saddles and swearing vengeance. Aiming straight up, the trio fired their primary launchers before switching to their multi-launchers and opening fire again. Their varied load combos spun together and tore into Driller. First came the impactors, tearing three massive holes in the outer armour before the gloopers and fraggers went to work in tandem, ripping into components and gluing parts together. Coming up in the second wave, Braid, Torque and Center Line walked their explosive tipped rounds along the monster, tearing out more holes and weakening the massive Decepticon.  
'Oh shit, Shockwave!' Sidewinder yelped, grabbing another missile from his back mount harness and firing again before weaving away from the battle with his section.  
'Here comes Optimus!' Braid called, leading the heavy gunners out of the direct battle path.

Taking up a well covered position, the six mouse security team drew their aim on the big Decepticon known as Shockwave. Rifles, missiles and heavy repeating cannons all lined up on it before opening fire en mass, putting up one hell of an assault line but it didn't seem to be having a lot of effect.  
'The optic, go for the…shit! Run!' Falcon cried, leading the charge away as Shockwave returned fire. Skidding on debris, the bikes bit in and raced off, flashing around another building and searching for another place to set their ambush.  
'Guys, there goes Optimus.' Chain grinned, looking up to follow the path of the flying semi.  
'Come on, we need to find a new backup location.' Falcon sighed, sweeping around another corner and launching a running attack on Shockwave to keep him distracted.

Firing in support of the bigger 'Bot, Sidewinder's crew were careful to avoid collateral damage but they still had to make sure Driller wasn't going to be making any more trouble in Chicago. They waited for Optimus to be clear before launching their last gloopers into the metal monster, fairly confident that would hold it.  
'You okay up there Sam?'  
"Hardly Sidewinder but we're alive at least. Any chance of some support?"  
'Sorry Sam, we're all a little busy. Get in contact with Emily, she might be able to bring someone up to give you guys a hand.'  
"Thanks Sidewinder."  
'Nothing to it kid.'  
"Bros, Optimus is in Shockwave's sights. We need a plan." Falcon called, leading his section around again.

Coming together as one team again, the three sections that had been dealing with Driller and Shockwave turned their massed fire to Shockwave alone, firing and moving as one to really put a dent in his day. He totally ignored the mice, launching a multi-shell at Optimus before turning his attention back to the insects at his feet.  
'Oh fuck, we've pissed him off. Fall back! Fall back!' Falcon ordered, Armageddon backing away fast as Falcon maintained their cover fire.  
'Techs, with me. We're going after Optimus.' Sidewinder barked, drawing his section clear again and racing for the bigger 'Bot somewhere behind the construction site to their south.

Racing through the construction site, the trio looked up and choked on their giggles. There he was, tangled up in several crane cables and swinging in the breeze.  
'Well, there's one for the record books.'  
'Jazz must be getting a laugh out of this. I'm still on live feed.'  
'Nice one Raider. Come on, let's get up there.' Sidewinder sighed, grabbing the kit he'd need and starting up the nearest crane.  
'Optimus!'  
'Wreckers!'  
'We're coming!'  
'Watch it for the little guys! We're up here too!' Sidewinder called, scrambling up the scaffolding as quickly as he could.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Knowing there was no one left to send, Emily cut away from the group and zeroed in on Sam's signal, cutting through the chaos and racing through buildings in a determined bid to get to the unluckiest teen in the world. Rocking Harley right over, she skidded around the tightest of corners and shot into the alley, totally focused on her responsibility. She could hear the mice calling instructions and responding to the Autobots as if they'd always been working together but pushed all that aside, knowing she had to get her job done. Dodging incoming fire and sweeping tight around another corner, she came up behind Sam and grinned in her helmet as Harley rumbled a greeting.  
'What are you doing out here on your lonesome Sam? And dragging your girlfriend through the chaos too.'  
'You know, just trying to save the world again.'  
'Uh-oh, we're about to have trouble again. Instincts are firing bad, there's a lot left to do.' Emily gulped, scanning the skies as Harley searched the ground for the new alert he was picking up. 'Oh shit! Not him again.' she yelped, scrambling for cover as Starscream came in for a landing behind them.  
'What a treat! You and me, alone!'  
'Carly!'  
'Come on Harley, let's give Starscream a lesson in manners.' Emily smirked, rocket launcher spinning up as Harley revved.  
'Come on, come on! Run! Okay. He's after me, not you. Run! Emily, get Carly out of here!'  
'Harley, grab her and go. Take shelter.' Emily ordered, dismounting and casting her bike out to fetch the girl and take her someplace safe. 'It's just you and me now Sam, let's get this done.'  
'You can't hide, boy!' Starscream challenged, slicing into the bus where Sam was hiding with Emily. 'I just love it when your little insect feet try to run!'  
'Sam!'  
'Run!'  
'Harley, out of sight! Take Carly with you!'  
'Which way Emily?'  
'We make our stand here.' Emily snarled, rotary cannon whirling up to speed and peppering Starscream's armour with armour-piercing rounds. Getting his own idea, Sam made use of the grapple gloves he'd picked up from Que to latch onto Starscream's right optic.  
'This is going to end in tears.' she muttered, silencing her weapon and diving for cover as Sam was yanked off the ground and thrown about.

Watching the young man getting thrown around, Emily let the situation enfold her and looked at it from the outside, judging time and distances and working out a plan. That plan changed when Lennox led a team of soldiers into the site and started to bring a rain of fire down on Starscream, keeping him pinned.  
'Damnit Witwicky, always getting into trouble.' Emily sighed, vaulting off the concrete guard rail she'd been hiding behind and latching onto Sam.  
'Grab the knife! Knife!'  
'Just hold on Sam, we'll be okay.' Emily grinned, drawing her knife and starting to saw at the line.  
'Knife, knife, knife, knife, knife! The bomb's gonna blow. The bomb's gonna…'  
'You human scum.'  
'Harley! Take the pressure off.' Emily roared, still working on the grappling line with her sleeve knife since she couldn't risk going for her Armageddon knife when they could be given a shake any moment.  
'We got twenty seconds on that bomb.'  
'You used a bomb?'  
'Cut it, cut it, cut it.'  
'I got it. How long do we have?'

Screaming as they were launched skyward again and almost became a smear on Starscream's foot, Emily tightened up her grip on Sam and kept working on the cable, trying not to think of the damage being done to her knife.  
'Harley, get back! Protect Carly!' Emily snapped, not wanting her bike crushed under a rampaging, malformed fighter.  
'Cut! Cut! Cut!'  
'I got it!' Emily nodded, the cable finally giving way. 'Oh shit!'  
'I'm gonna kill…' wincing as the bomb went off, Emily curled in up an attempt to protect them both but this was still going to be one very ugly landing.

Skidding onto the scene, Bumblebee transformed on the move and went up the building, tracking across the surface to grab Emily and Sam, cradling them in his hands as he flipped off the wall and transformed again, still moving backwards. Grunting as her back impacted his windshield, Emily smiled softly and started to laugh, amazed she'd cheated certain death once again.  
'What's so funny Emily?'  
'You wouldn't understand.' she snorted, wiping the smile off her face. 'Thanks for the save Bee.' she added, jumping as the shattered remains of Starscream crashed to the ground.  
'Well, he's dead.'  
'One down, fuck knows how many more to go.' Emily groaned, sitting up and sliding off the hood. 'Hey Lennox. Come on Harley, let's move out.'  
'Emily, where is everyone. I haven't seen any of the mice.'  
'They're around Lennox, working in teams to keep Decepticons busy. The explosives boys are working with the Wreckers to cut Optimus down from several cranes. He's tangled in the cables thanks to Shockwave.'  
'Talk about mobility.'  
'There's no spot in this city we can't reach via our underground tunnel network.' Emily smirked, swinging into the saddle and tearing off again.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Emerging from the tunnels again, the Martians clung to the ruins and looked on in horror as the newest impending disaster. Dino, Bumblebee, Que, Prowl, Sideswipe and Ratchet had all been taken prisoner. Ratchet was having one last crack at the 'Cons but he was soon on his knees, one of the guards keeping a firm grip on his wrists.  
"Falcon, we have to do something."  
"I know Sidewinder, I know."  
"We're running low on ammo for the heavier weaponry. We can't take out all these Decepticons."  
"We don't have to Black, we just have to do enough to give the Autobots another chance."  
"That's it Kawasaki. I know what to do, but now isn't the right moment. Everyone sit tight, when the timing is right, you'll know what to do." Falcon grinned, silencing Armageddon's engine and moving to a new position.

Lining up on a substitute ramp, Falcon was tense and nervous about what he was about to do but he knew there was no other choice. He had to fly straight and bring down the rain like no one had ever done before.  
'You're not doing this alone bro.' Braid uttered, pulling up beside his towering friend.  
'We're right beside you every step of the way.' Goggles added, stopping on the other side.  
'Whatever happens bros, it's been an honour and a privilege to know you all.' Bits nodded, joining the group.  
'This time, it's personal.' Blade grinned, filling another place in the ranks.  
'Today is our day.' Rictor agreed, taking the last position in their flying wedge.

Watching his altered HUD, Falcon picked his moment and switched off Armageddon's silencer before taking off, his bros at his side as they shot up the ramp and took flight. Rising up on the footpegs, the flying wedge bristled with weaponry, one final act of unending courage against the odds.  
'Not today fugly! This is our home!' Falcon roared, launching everything he had at Soundwave.  
'For Chicago!' his bros cried, launching hell from all sides and pulling together for one great effort. Emerging from their hiding places all around the prisoners, the mice threw everything they had into the battle, knowing the Autobots would pay them back ten-fold for their bravery here.

Making the best of the distraction, the former prisoners took the fight to their captors again, tearing into the Decepticons with a new vengeance. Ripping through another Decepticon, Dino looked up just in time to see Soundwave smash Falcon from the sky with one massive hand. Anger rising, the bright red Autobot ran for his friend, catching the heavyset mouse and his bike before they hit the ground. Tucking the pair close to his chest with such tenderness, he got right back into the fight, protecting the pair in his left hand and still dealing out death and destruction with his right.

Reading the flicker of two Autobot life signs close by, Revs swung out of the battle and coaxed his bike into a jump, soaring across the river to land on the upturned belly of the crashed Decepticon ship there. Blasting a new doorway into the ship, he jumped inside and started his search, bringing up the profiles to match the life signs he was detecting.  
'Brains! Wheelie! Where are you guys? Brains, please respond! Wheelie, answer me please!'  
'Revs? Is that you bro?' Brains called, somewhere below and in front of Revs.  
'Yeah, I'm here lil' bro. Where are you?'  
'Main control room. We're trapped.'  
'I'm coming for you bros, don't worry. Just hang in there, I'm coming.' Revs soothed, hurrying forward through the confusion.  
'Down here Revs, we're down here.' Wheelie called, bringing the darker medic to a stop. Looking down through a crack in the walkway he was using, he could just make out the pair, looking up at him with hopeful optics.  
'I see you little bros. I'll get you out in a moment.'

Ripping at the walls, he managed to pull one end of cable free. Yanking on it with all his strength, he was quickly satisfied that it would hold his weight and the combined weight of the little Autobots waiting for rescue. Wrapping the cable around his arm and holding tight, he eased over the edge and down, ignoring the burn in his shoulders as he climbed.  
'Revs, are we glad to see you. We thought we were goners.' Wheelie offered, standing on one of the few dry places in the mostly flooded area.  
'Come on little bros, let's get out of here.' Revs grinned, scooping Brains up and securing him inside his vest before hooking Wheelie with his tail. 'The battle ain't over yet.'  
'Thanks for coming after us bro.' Brains offered, clinging to Revs' vest as the medic scrambled back up the cable and onto dry metal.  
'Family means no one gets left behind. Emily's got a heart big enough for all of us, no matter how big or small. You're safe with us, no matter what the future holds.' Revs replied, swinging Wheelie into his arms and holding them both close as he sprinted back to where his bike was waiting for them. 'Roars! Throw us a line!' he called, moving Wheelie and Brains around to his back.

Trilling softly, Roars fired her rear grappling line into the ship, thudding the hook down beside Revs' feet. Latching onto the cable, he shimmied up the line carefully, knowing one slip on this cable could be very painful indeed. Delving deeper into his reserves than ever before, the battered and bruised medic emerged from the ship and gathered his friends in his arms again before swinging into the saddle. Trilling again, Roars reclaimed her grappling line and took off, soaring across the gap in a bid for freedom. Left arm keeping the rescued pair close to his chest, Revs held onto his bike with his right hand and moved through the landing with her, just glad to be alive.  
'You both okay?'  
'Yeah, thanks to you Revs.' Brains nodded, looking around at the carnage they'd helped create.  
'Revs, you're needed over with Dino.' Ratchet called, grateful to see the best Martian medic was still around.  
'I can't repair Autobots.'  
'He's got Falcon!'  
'Right, I'm on the job.'

Racing through the danger, Revs spun around behind Dino and dismounted, putting Wheelie and Brains down safely beside his bike before whistling up at Dino.  
'CMO Revs?'  
'That's me Dino. What's the situation?'  
'Falcon bravely attacked Soundwave head on, saving Que's life. He was badly hurt in the process.' Dino explained, checking the area was somewhat secure before kneeling and easing Falcon away from his chest. The burly brown was a mess, right leg twisted into a very odd shape and his right arm looking little better.  
'I'll take care of him Dino, he'll be okay. Just put him down inside that building there and keep us covered.' Revs ordered, indicating the large windows behind them.  
'As instructed Revs.' Dino nodded, placing the damaged remnants of Armageddon on the ground and smashing the windows before clearing away some of the broken glass and gently placing bike and rider inside.  
'Wheelie, Brains, you two can help me with this. Inside, quickly.'  
'You've got it Revs.'  
'Keep us safe Dino, I need as much time as you can give us.'  
'I will Revs. Falcon is a good friend.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Listening to the incoming reports from every location, Emily knew it was time to stop messing around and take the fight to the next level but the injury reports coming in were telling her it was a bad idea to try anything bold. She was missing some of her biggest players, down with a nasty list of injuries but there was no other option.  
'SAU 14, hear me! I want medical and mechanical to fall back to position 41! Organise the wounded there! All those who can still ride, form up on me! Position 51! We're going in hot, hard and full!'  
"Negative Emily, Falcon can't be moved. He's in real bad shape. I've also got Bits and Braid seriously wounded. Position 37!"  
'Confirmed Revs. Medical and mechanical, new orders! Fall back to position 37!'  
"Wheelie, moving now."  
"Shift, on the move. I've got Dakota with me, class 4."  
"Odd Ball, en route."  
"Shard, inbound. Daytona riding tandem, class 2."  
"Windvest, orders received."  
'Goggles, respond! Goggles!'  
"Negative Emily…near 37 but pinned."  
"I'm coming Goggles, hang tight."  
"Copy that Odd Ball."

Wiping the sweat from her eyes and wrapping a field dressing over the large gash on her right thigh, Emily looked around at the gathering team, cataloguing damage and trying to work out the best was of keeping casualties down while still trashing the Decepticons once and for all. They were down to forty able bodied Martian combatants, not too bad considering they had only numbered 59 in the beginning.  
'Alright bros, this is it. We're going full in with the humans now. Lennox is organising his men to come from above, we're on ground duties and any pickups we can.'  
'We're with you all the way Emily.' Blade replied, a large, bloodied dressing secured around his right forearm.  
'No matter what, we ride as one.' Decal added, covered in cuts and scratches but so far he was holding up well.  
'Charge!'

Ripping around the debris, the Martians flooded the battleground again, dodging humans and Decepticons and raking their modified heavy weapons over the enemy group they were surrounding. Delving into the pouches across his chest, Braidy pulled out one of their newer toys and let fly, the grey goo flying at Shockwave and exploding on impact. Nudging his bike around again, he let off another handful and pulled back, spreading the explosive goo around to every Decepticon in his range. It was a fluke creation but it was certainly a mishap to remember. Not only did it explode on impact but it splattered and created several smaller impacts around the original one.

Shifting his weight when his bike bucked, Emission returned fire and swung her around to where one of the humans had landed on a car quite heavily after tangling with Shockwave.  
'Good job, kid!' Lennox praised, hauling the soldier down. 'Go with Emission, he'll keep you mobile.'  
'Emission?'  
'That's me soldier. Come on, up you get.' Emission chuckled, hauling the soldier up and gunning it back into the fight.  
'What are you?'  
'Later bro, we'll explain later. For now, fire!'

Heaving around again, Scorpion had to think fast and pushed his bike up onto a piece of debris, narrowly avoiding becoming so much road kill under the Wreckers. Balancing on their precarious perch, Scorpion and Stinger opened fire again, weapons heating up but they'd deal with that later.  
'We got him!'  
'Yeah!'  
'He's on the run!'  
'Bros, to me again! Keep it together!' Emily challenged, glancing back as Beast carried her unconscious rider back to the safety of the med station.  
"Where's Beast going? We could use her firepower."  
'Sorry Topspin, with Blade wounded she's taking him back to the med station. If Blade's cleared for combat, she'll be back. Otherwise, she'll stay in the rear.' Emily replied, protecting Voodoo, Chain, Strap and Choke as they were carried from the battlefield as well. 'We will not go down quietly! We are SAU 14! We are…'  
'SAU 14! Brave, bold and tough as hell!' 34 voices rang out in reply, the battle weary mice finding new courage in her rallying call.

Drawing her own courage and strength from the arriving Autobots, Emily took a few seconds to catch her breath and reorganise her battle tactics before leading another charge forwards, claiming ground and refusing to let it go.  
'Autobots, attack!'  
'Prowl! Cover fire!'  
'Sideswipe! On your left!'  
'Mortar that bridge!'  
'Sam! Carly! Get to cover!'  
'Missiles away!'  
'Keep firing! Keep firing!'  
'Advance! Advance!'  
'Protect the humans!'  
'Heading for medical!'  
'Fill the lines!'  
'It's our world now!'  
'Over our dead bodies.' Slash spat, never one to give up while there was still life in his chest.  
'Commence transport!'

Clinging to his bike, Sidewinder tried not to think about the totally weird situation he was now in as they made their next charge on the Decepticon positions. Instead of racing among the debris on the ground, the three explosives techs were secure in Optimus' hands, flying along at low levels through the Chicago streets.  
'This is your stop.' Optimus muttered, opening his hands and releasing the trio. Hitting the ground hard, the bikes snagged the ground and rocketed forwards, weaving past Autobots and humans to take their places in the front lines.  
'Nice of you to drop in bros.'  
'Sorry about that Emily. We were busy cutting Optimus down from the cranes. He was kind enough to give us a lift.'  
'Clear a runway!'

Splitting their ranks, the mice created a gap for Optimus to go skidding through, unconcerned about the sparks he was kicking up as he went down the street. Shifting the lines again, the mice created a wedge in their lines, filling gaps between the Autobots and creating what could only be described as a death trap. Any Decepticon in the area was torn apart by a combination of assault rifles, explosive tipped ammunition, impactors, fraggers and mortars on top of the Autobot weapons. With Optimus back at the front, they were basically a backing force, making sure no one escaped the battle and cleaning up the mess he left behind for them.  
'Sidewinder, still got that tracker?'  
'Sure do Emily. What's my target?'  
'Sending you the data now.'  
'Data received. Gonna need a boost.'  
'Gotcha Sidewinder.' Ratchet nodded, scooping the heavyset white up and onto his shoulder. Slinging his best launcher, Sidewinder scrambled up to perch on Ratchet's head, downloading the last data to his tracker and slamming his thumb down on the launcher. Blasting from the launcher, the missile spun to stabilise its path as it raced towards the targeted building. Weaving sharply to avoid Optimus and Shockwave, it dipped and slammed into the building just below the cupola, shattering stone, glass and steel and dropping the pillar to the ground below.  
'Now that's what I'm fuckin' talkin' about.' Sidewinder crowed, scrambling back down to Ratchet's shoulder before vaulting clear of the Autobot medic. Flipping over behind the reformed rescue vehicle, he landed back in the saddle and raced off, reloading a fragger as he moved up again.

Maintaining their line, the massed force moved forward in support of Optimus, picking off any Decepticon stupid enough to show his ugly features.  
'Get down here, Sentinel!'  
'Optimus, you forget your place!'  
'Oh boy, here we go again. Watch your gaps! Big boy battle!' Slash warned, the line recoiling in response.  
'I bring you Cybertron, your home, and still you choose humanity.' Sentinel offered, facing off against the kneeling Prime.  
'You were the one who taught me freedom is everyone's right.' Optimus replied, drawing his axe and sword and charging into battle once again.  
'I will retrigger that pillar!'  
'They you'll have to go through me!'  
'The pillar…Sidewinder! The pillar!'  
'I'll do my best Emily! Raider, Splat, back up!'  
'We're with you Sidewinder!'  
'Sam, take this.' Emily called, catching the teen and pressing a pistol into his hand. 'Fight well Sam, the future is determined today.'  
'Fight well Emily, for our home.' Sam nodded, securing the pistol and taking off.  
'Charge the pillar!'  
'No retreat! No turning back!' Slash cried, stepping up in his brother's absence and backing Emily up.  
'We got Autobots!'  
'Nice of you to get back to us Epps. Hai!' Christine called, pushing up onto the saddle of her Hunk and skating through the debris, rifles working in tandem.  
'No more fuckin' games! It's time to end this!' Fang challenged, unleashing another new weapon for their inventory. This one did minimal physical damage but made a real mess of electrical systems, shorting them out and melting everything into one big lump of scrap metal and plastic.

Riding high on the adrenaline and constantly taking ground, the defenders were unstoppable, working fluidly as a team to take out every Decepticon in their range.  
'Reinforcements! Decepticon ships, fire at Optimus!'  
'Oh no you don't slagger.' Emily snarled, activating a secondary comms channel. 'Ironhide!'  
"I am here Emily, we were worried."  
'No time to worry. Activate all Anti-Aircraft Defences! Repeat: activate all Anti-Aircraft Defences!'  
"AA batteries coming online now! Anti-Aircraft missile launchers deploying!"  
'Give over your anger towards the Decepticons! Flood the system with your hatred and take them down!'  
"But Emily…"  
'Do it Ironhide! Before Optimus is so much slag on the ground!'  
"Understood."

Emerging from all kinds of unexpected places, Emily's massive net of anti-aircraft defences came online and went to work, fuelled by Ironhide's anger and frustration and making use of valuable targeting information from both trapped Autobots. Swarming into the sky, missiles and heavy cannons stitched the airspace over Chicago.  
'We're taking fire! I need those Tomahawks now!'  
"First wave inbound."  
'Come on Ironhide, you're doing great.'  
"Decepticon punks."  
'We've got to cover for Optimus.'  
'This will not be another Brimstone!'  
'Decepticons, trigger the pillar! Restart that pillar!'  
'Sidewinder, we have to destroy that pillar!'  
"Working on it Emily, it's not easy getting through!"  
'Earth will not fall like Mars! The humans will live free!'  
'I can't hold them! The ships have us pinned!'  
'Ironhide! Transmitting co-ords. Take down those fighters!'  
"Data received. Inbound!"  
'Inbound, 10 seconds! Danger close!'  
'Mark-Lima-Echo-Echo, 14250!'

Now forced to watch for shrapnel coming at them from quite literally every direction, the defending team surged forward again, pushing across bridges and drawing on mental reserves they didn't know they had. This was the hardest fight they'd had to face, pushing them further and drawing more from them than ever before but while the spirit was strong, they would fight.  
'Rocket!'  
'Die!'  
'He's running!'  
'Barricade his path! Force him back to Optimus!'  
"Emily, the pillar has been reactivated. We're storming how to destroy it."  
'Understood Sidewinder. How's Sam?'  
"Fighting Dylan someone-or-other. He's the guy that reactivated the pillar."  
'See to it that Dylan doesn't survive the fight, however you manage that.'  
"Understood Emily."  
'Optimus is back on Sentinel. They're on the bridge. Co-ords tagged for all.'  
'Co-ords received.'  
'Destroy the pillar!'

Putting his launcher aside, Sidewinder picked up a weapon he'd only been training with for a couple of years but he had no doubt he'd make the shot. Refusing to be daunted when Sam was knocked out and fell from the rubble, he raised his rifle, took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. His shot was right on target, the bullet entering Dylan's left temple and blasting out the other side.  
'The pillar's still connected!'  
'Bring it up!'  
'I'll get Sam clear.' Raider nodded, racing in and dragging the unconscious boy onto his bike.  
'Get him to medbay.'  
'That's the plan.'  
'Bee! Let's do this!'  
'Let's go, let's go! Move, move!'  
'Pillar's still connected!'  
'Sidewinder, move your team.'  
'Splat, let's move!'  
'On your six bro!'  
'Rip that pillar down!'

Loading up their multi-launchers with the last loads they had, Sidewinder and Splat took aim on the pillar but before they were able to take it out, Ratchet and Bumblebee did the deed. Running past on the inside, Ratchet nailed it with four or five close range shots before Bumblebee tackled it out of the sky, the combined attack leaving the pillar in pieces.  
'To the tagged bridge! There's still a fight to finish!'  
"Advance, bros! This ends now!"  
'Forward!'  
'No mercy! No fear!'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Watching the fight through his scope, Crimson smirked and waited for the perfect moment to make his strike at the instigator of all this mess. He wasn't distracted by the debris falling around him or the fights still going on elsewhere in the city, he had his target and he was going to make his shot count in more ways than one. He watched the colossal brawl with interest, tracking the pair and trying to keep his target in his crosshairs but it was a struggle. Optimus gave his all, hammering away at Sentinel's shield and pushing him back before the fight turned and it was Optimus on the back foot again. Back and forth the titan's of the fight went until Sentinel managed to knock the axe from Optimus' hand and get his sword into Optimus' shoulder. With a great rending of metal, the arm was removed, Optimus' sword and arm clattering to the roadway. Wounded though he was, Optimus tried to fight back but he was overpowered again, Sentinel's massive weapon plunging into his other shoulder and pinning him to the roadway. Cursing softly, Crimson debated passing the info back to Emily and Ratchet but he stayed quiet, not wanting any radio chatter to give away his position before he took his shot.

So he watched, heart in his throat as Optimus tried to escape then bargain for his life but Sentinel wasn't having any of that, sword raised for the killing blow. Salvation came from an unlikely source but it at least gave Optimus a chance to catch his breath and regather his thoughts as Megatron engaged Sentinel. Lifting his eye from the scope, Crimson had to admit, Megatron was an interesting combatant to watch. He knew all the spots to strike to cause maximum damage and he was giving Optimus the time he needed to refocus but still, a Decepticon would always be evil.  
"Crimson, sitrep!"  
'Maintain distance. The duel on the bridge is ongoing. Optimus is injured. Sentinel ripped his right arm off at the shoulder. Megatron just beat the living daylights out of Sentinel. Sentinel's status: still online. Optimus and Megatron now engaging.'  
"Acknowledged. Keep us posted."  
'Wilco Emily.'

Keeping his head down as much as he wanted to let Optimus know he was there, Crimson kept his helmet cams running, downloading the entire fight from his helmet to his bike, waiting somewhere nearby. This was a definite grudge match, and Optimus was putting the beat down on Megatron like never before. Axe in hand again, Optimus was a beast, swinging his weapon and getting stuck right in, using one foot to drive Megatron to the ground before swinging his axe into Megatron's head. Heaving back, he ripped Megatron's head clear off, dragging much of the spinal column with it. A gruesome kill but still a very good kill.  
'Megatron is offlined. Repeat, Megatron is so much scrap. Optimus ripped his fucking head off.'  
"Shame we missed it, must have been quite the sight."  
'I'll show you later Emily. Helmet cams are still operational and recording.'  
"Looking forward to it. Maintain vigil."  
'Understood.'

Finally getting a sight on his target, Crimson let rip with three shots, adjusting his aim for each one. Thudding into the target, the three rounds combined were enough to trip the manual weapon's release, dropping Sentinel's cosmic rust cannon onto the decking just by Optimus' feet. Bending down and retrieving the weapon, Optimus nodded slowly and looked up at the building where the shots had come from. Getting to his feet, Crimson held his rifle high and nodded, confident Optimus would see him.  
'For Ironhide!' he called, one final tribute to a fallen hero. Thinking of his old friend for a moment, Optimus hefted the weapon and fired, feeling no remorse as he shot the traitor a second time.

Shouldering his rifle, Crimson vaulted off the roof and activated another of the new toys the Martians had built, soaring across the river on wings of fibreglass, aluminium and canvas. Emerging from her hiding spot, Target took off after him, weaving through the rubble and racing for Optimus. Wings flaring, Crimson lost altitude and speed, turning and gliding so gracefully before touching down on Optimus' offered hand.  
'Ratchet's already been informed of your injuries.'  
'Thank you Crimson. For all your assistance today.'  
'Feh, that's what friends do Optimus. We might be from entirely different worlds but friendship, well that's a universal language.'  
'Quite right Crimson. Ratchet is not going to be impressed with this battle injury. He always says I take too many risks.'  
'Don't sweat the little shit Optimus. Sure, Ratchet's gonna be pissed at you but look at what you've achieved. Megatron and Sentinel in one day, that's one hell of an achievement. Besides, movie night back at base is going to be fun tonight.'  
'Should I ask?'  
'I recorded the whole fight, from your tackling Sentinel to the final destruction. You are going to be the talk of the team tonight my friend, no doubt about it.'  
'I'm sure Ironhide will get a thrill out of it too.'  
'Oh yeah, he's going to enjoy seeing the parts he missed. You know, he was actually a part of this fight, in his own way.'  
'But I thought he was stuck in a computer system.'  
'He is, but that computer system is connected to some very nice weapon systems. All those anti-air weapons that came into play when the fighters were ordered to attack you, Ironhide controlled the lot.'  
'Once again I owe Ironhide my life.'  
'No doubt there big guy.' Crimson agreed, removing his helmet and slipping his smaller base radio into his ear. 'To me, my brothers, to me at last.'  
"Inbound Crimson."  
"We're coming your way, little bro."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Emerging from the rubble and the ruins, the exhausted defenders came together around the bridge, leaning on their friends and sharing tired smiles of a job well done. They were all beaten down and exhausted, bloodied and battered and still running high on adrenaline but they were alive and that's what really counted. Human, Martian and Autobot stood together, a wild mix of ideas, cultures and homeworlds but they stood together under one banner now, defenders of earth and freedom. They knew the work wasn't over yet, Chicago would need to be rebuilt but for now they could relax, heal and let the worries of another war drift away.

Rolling onto the bridge, Raider eased Sam off his bike and held him for a moment before letting him go when Lennox called for the young man.  
'Raider!' Visor called, breaking ranks and running for his older brother. 'I was so worried.'  
'We're okay Visor, we're all okay.' Raider grinned, catching his brother and holding tight.  
'Is it really over, big brother?'  
'I don't know, lil' bro, I just don't know. Whatever happens though, I'll always come home to you.'  
'I love you bro.'  
'Love you too, my little brother.'

Slumped over Harley's handlebars, Emily watched as the remaining 22 mice on the battlefield embraced their bros and rejoiced in their survival against all the odds and despite the danger that had come for them this day.  
'I do not understand.'  
'It's survival Prowl, against the worst odds we've ever faced. We've got a lot of injuries but not one dead Martian today. Relief and joy rule now as the realisation we survived sinks in all over again.' she explained, jumping slightly when a large hand appeared beside her. 'Thanks Que.'  
'Shouldn't you be out there celebrating with your friends.' he asked, cradling Emily in both hands and looking out over the group.  
'I don't need to be out there in the hugging and laughing to share their joy. Just knowing my bros are alive to see another day is all I need. This is their moment, they won this battle even though they were afraid and outnumbered.' Emily replied, laughing when Bumblebee dropped a collection of gears and sprockets beside Sam and Carly then played here comes the bride. 'Oh Bumblebee.'  
'Emily, there's something I don't understand.'  
'What is it Que?'  
'Why'd Falcon do it?'  
'Do what?'  
'When Soundwave was going to shoot me, Falcon attacked. Came flying off a piece of rubble with some of the other mice and gave Soundwave everything he had. Why?'  
'Because Falcon sees you as part of this crazy assed family. He would have done to same for Ratchet, Bee, Prowl or any other Autobot. That's just the way we are. Just as the Autobots protect us, we protect the Autobots.'  
'He saved my life and was badly injured doing so. It doesn't seem worth it.'  
'It's worth it Que, it's always worth it. Falcon knew the risks involved but he still did it because it was the right thing to do.'  
'I still don't think I understand.'  
'When Falcon's feeling up to it, talk to him. You aren't the first Autobot he's taken a beating for and I really doubt you'll be the last. He's just that kind of guy. There's one thing you can always count on Que, no matter what. When things are bleak and you don't know where to turn, we will be right there with you. You are our friends and that is something that nothing in this universe can change. Do you understand?'  
'That I can understand.'

Emerging from the nearest tunnel entrance, Hammer pulled up and glanced at the yellow Corvette Stingray at his side. This had been a total surprise for him, he'd been busily working away when something had come crashing down just outside the reinforced bunker. Poking his head out, Hammer had gotten to know the new arrival, showing him where he could find an alt mode and then trying to get him back to the battle but that hadn't been easy.  
'There he is Sunstreaker, just over there with Ratchet and company. Silver armour and wheels instead of feet.'  
"I see him. Thanks Hammer."  
'Anything for a friend. Go on, I'll bet he's been missing you.'  
"We'll talk again later Hammer." Sunstreaker replied, revving up and bursting from the damaged parking structure that hid the entrance. Transforming on the fly, he vaulted off the ground and wrapped one arm around Sideswipe, tackling him to the ground and starting a wrestling match.  
'It's okay everyone, weapons down!' Sideswipe called, straining against the yellow 'Bot as everyone drew their weapons. 'When did you get in Sunstreaker?'  
'Couple hours ago, took a while to get out of the tunnels under the city. Hammer was really helpful, found me an alt mode and kept offering up ways to get out that didn't involved blowing holes in ceilings.'  
'Sideswipe, please explain.' Optimus called, watching the pair wrestling.  
'Come on, surely you guys remember Sunstreaker. My spark-twin.'  
'Whoa, you've certainly changed Sunstreaker.' Ratchet remarked, moving back as the twins stood and looked at each other.  
'You ditched the red paint?'  
'I took to silver for a change. I might be convinced to go back if I can find the right shade.'

Walking up to Optimus' feet, Slash smiled as the mighty Autobot knelt and offered his hand, welcoming the weary soldier into the safety of his hold.  
'I know you're probably worn down Optimus, but I think the guys could really benefit from a few encouraging words from you. It'd do a lot to raise flagging morale before we start the cleanup.'  
'Of course Slash. We could all use a little encouragement.' Optimus nodded, thinking for a moment before the words came to him. 'In any war there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us. But the day will never come that we forsake this planet and its people.' he declared, looking around at the exhausted soldiers from three different places as they stood together.  
'My friends, we've all had a rough day, hell, a rough week. We have fought well for our home and now it is time to rest and recover. I am offering my home to you all as a refuge for healing and rest. All I ask is that you help with our wounded so we can all recover together.' Emily announced, standing tall on Que's shoulder.


	6. Camaraderie

Noticing Prowl looking around in confusion, Sidewinder pushed off the railing and wandered down to where he was sitting, leaning back against the wall. Looking up when Sidewinder approached, Prowl shuffled his doorwings and offered his hand to the limping white. Climbing up gratefully, Sidewinder settled on his palm and leant back on his hand as Prowl lifted him up.  
'Something on your processor Prowl?'  
'Bits told me Jazz was here, in a strange kind of way. He said he'd explain after the battle but I have not seen him since.'  
'He's in medbay at the moment; he probably won't be out for a while. I can explain Jazz's situation, if you'd like.'  
'I'd like that. We were very close before this war forced us in different directions.'  
'You have to promise me that you'll stay calm. This is a very strange story and it will only make sense if you hear it all in order.'  
'I understand.'  
'Six years ago, we engaged Megatron for the first time on earth. We stood together and fought bravely, never giving up and making sure the Decepticons remembered their lesson. Jazz made the mistake of tangling with Megatron and made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. However, his sacrifice was not complete. Pulling out some tech that we'd never showed the Autobots before, my bros were able to save Jazz, in a manner of speaking, and bring him to Chicago. He has been living here with us for the last six years, safe from harm no matter the threats. We keep him company and share our lives with him, bringing joy to his lonely existence as best we can. His body is waiting for repairs, it's been waiting for six long years but now there is a hope it will be put back together and Jazz will walk the earth again. For now, he lives a digital existence, within the computers in this facility.' Sidewinder explained, checking for the nearest holoprojector. 'Jazz! I know you're nervous but please, show yourself.' he called, trying to relax and be patient.

Prowl jumped a little when the holoprojector right beside him hummed to life and Jazz just appeared out of nowhere, crouched beside him and seemingly content.  
'Jazz?'  
"I'm here Prowl. This isn't how I always imagined our reunion would be but it's good enough."  
'I'm just glad you're alive.'  
"Well, kinda. This isn't really life, not like I've known it. This is good enough though, it's my second chance."  
'How do you cope with the boredom? I know what you're like Jazz.'  
"It hasn't been easy Prowl but I'm coping. The Martians have done right by me every day, creating a world that I could inhabit comfortably. With 72 of these projectors throughout the base, a digital driving track and so many friends to talk to, I've coped."  
'Be honest with me Jazz, are you happy?'  
"No Prowl, but I never expected I would be while stuck like this. I miss actually living instead of just existing. I will live again; we aren't going to be separated forever."  
'I believe you Jazz. This is just so hard to accept.'  
"I know Prowl. Sidewinder, would you mind showing Prowl down to the driving track? I'd like to talk to him in private."  
'Of course Jazz. Come with me Prowl, it's not far but you're going to have to drive.'  
'To speak privately with Jazz, I'll endure the discomfort.' Prowl nodded, setting Sidewinder safely on the ground and transforming.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Hustling down the upper walkway, Decal had to do some very creative stepping to avoid treading on the two smallest Autobots as they sat on the walkway and looked around for something or someone. Turning back, he knelt beside them and grinned when they stood and ran into his arms.  
'Are you two okay? Is there anything I can do?'  
'We're okay, just a little lost.' Wheelie replied, pressing a little bit closer.  
'Yeah, it's a big place down here.'  
'Everyone seems to know what they're doing, everyone except us.' Brains added, tucking his head under Decal's jaw.  
'You two are right where you need to be, safe with friends. You stick with me; I'll see that you're taken care of. It's going to be okay, you'll see bros.' Decal soothed, tucking the pair close and rocking to his feet.  
'Where are we going Decal?' Wheelie asked, finding such comfort in the arms of a friend.  
'Infirmary, Falcon just got out of surgery and I wanted to see him. He took quite the pounding out there.'  
'We know. We were with Revs when Dino set him down.'  
'Dino? No one mentioned he was involved.'  
'Dino caught Falcon and Armageddon after Soundwave swatted them to the ground. He kept them safe in his grasp until Revs got back from rescuing us from that Decepticon ship that crashed in the river.' Brains explained, shuffling a little and relaxing into Decal's hold.  
'Then I guess I owe Dino a debt of gratitude. I can't imagine my life without Falcon.' Decal mused, glancing back over his shoulder to where the red Autobot was resting against the wall. 'If you need to recharge Brains, it's okay. I'll guard your rest, you're safe here.'  
'I think I will Decal, thanks.' Brains nodded, shuffling a little more and dimming his optics.  
'Recharge peacefully Brains.' Decal uttered, using his tail to guide Brains into a more comfortable position against his chest.

Entering the infirmary, Decal headed straight for Falcon's bed, gazing helplessly through the glass. He'd known Falcon took a beating but to see his precious mate hooked up to all the ICU equipment socked Decal in the gut.  
'Wasn't expecting you in here for a while yet Decal.'  
'You know me Revs. When it comes to Falcon, I can't stay away.'  
'You're not going to get much out of him for a while. Soundwave did a real number on our biggest warrior.'  
'How bad Revs? I deserve to know.'  
'Two fractures to the right femur. Three fractures in the right tibia and fibula, three fractures to right humerus, two additional fractures to right ulna and radius, fifteen cracked ribs, broken right clavicle and that's just the skeletal damage. The list of internal injuries is just as long. Liver, spleen, lungs, intestines, kidneys…honestly Decal, I'm amazed he's alive. This has once again proven just how tough Falcon is.'  
'In your honest opinion, do you think Dino's catch made things worse?'  
'No, I saw the recording from Falcon's helmet cam. Dino's catch was as gentle as possible. It would have been worse if he'd hit the ground. Combining the mechanical reports regarding Armageddon, various vid feeds of the incident and my own training, a further impact with the pavement would most likely have killed him, either by direct impact to his head and chest or by being crushed by Armageddon. There's no doubt in my mind that Dino's quick actions saved Falcon's life.'  
'Thanks Revs. I think I'll go talk to Dino, let him know Falcon's going to survive.'  
'He'd probably be glad to hear that. Falcon and Dino seem to have gotten close.'  
'Keep me informed Revs.'  
'I will Decal. You should consider taking a shower and having a rest, it's been a long day.'  
'Later Revs. I promised Brains I'd watch over his recharge.'  
'Can't argue with that. Just take it easy Decal.' Revs instructed, turning back to his duties.  
'I will Revs.' Decal nodded, glancing back at Falcon one last time before leaving the infirmary.

Wandering back onto the walkways, Decal sighed and watched Dino for a few moments, trying to work out what he was thinking before making the choice to go near him.  
'Hey Dino, what's got you down?' Que asked, settling beside his friend.  
'I'm just thinking. The Martians showed amazing courage out there today. Especially Falcon and the rest of the team that flew to our rescue.' Dino shrugged, keeping his blades tucked close so he didn't hurt anyone.  
'I still can't believe they did that.'  
'It took some serious courage to challenge Soundwave directly.'  
'You have to admit though; we'd be in a lot worse shape if they hadn't.'  
'I know. We'd be down one half-crazed inventor for a start.'  
'I resent that.'  
'I'm just teasing, you know that.'  
'I m not half-crazed. You're talking about the Wreckers there.' Que countered, enjoying the friendly taunting.  
'Nah, they're fully crazed.' Dino smirked, relaxing a little more as they talked.  
'Now that's what I like to hear. Old friends having a laugh together.' Decal grinned, wandering around to be closer to the pair. 'I've got some good news Dino.'  
'What sort of good news?' Dino asked, reaching up to offer Decal his hand. Climbing over the railing, Decal settled on his palm and relaxed as he was lifted down to optic level.  
'Falcon's going to be okay. He'll be out of action for a while but he's expected to make a full recovery.'  
'That is good news Decal. I've been worried about him.'  
'Revs went back over the data and there's no doubt that your actions saved his life. We both owe you a debt of gratitude.'  
'That's not necessary Decal. I was just doing the right thing.'  
'It is our way Dino. You saved my mate's life and thus we are both indebted to you.'  
'I still do not understand your people but I will learn Decal. I accept your debt.' Dino nodded, confused but willing to accept that the mice were going to surprise him many times over.  
'Decal, perhaps you can explain something. Emily tried but I still don't understand.'  
'I can try.'  
'Why'd Falcon do it? Why'd he take on Soundwave to protect my life? We barely know each other.'  
'Of course Emily wouldn't know the truth; she wasn't there when this story started. During the first battle where we fought alongside the Autobots, Ratchet protected Falcon from harm and Falcon swore he'd return the favour. Instead Ratchet told him to pay it forward. He's been looking for his chance to pay it forward for six years; he found it when Soundwave tried to kill you. His debt to Ratchet is fulfilled at last.'  
'That makes more sense. I still think he's crazy but now I understand.' Que grinned, trying to find a more comfortable spot against the wall. 'You look exhausted Decal.'  
'I am Que; it's been a rough few days. I could use a rest but right now I have other priorities.' Decal replied, getting comfortable on Dino's hand and setting Wheelie down beside him.  
'If you're tired Decal, sleep.' Dino coaxed, resting his hand on his knee.  
'Later Dino, I made a promise and I intend to keep it. Brains is taking a nap, I said I'd watch over him. I'm used to going for long periods of time without sleep, I'll be okay.' Decal replied, adjusting his tender hold of the tiny Autobot in his arms. 'No kindness is too small to have great meaning to a friend.' he uttered, smiling softly as Brains curled closer to his chest and settled again.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cursing his luck and smaller stature, Wheelie tied his hair back and grabbed his toolkit before stepping onto Ratchet's hand. Tucking Wheelie close to his chestplates, Ratchet carried him over to where Optimus was sitting, quietly enduring the lengthy repairs.  
'You know what you have to do?'  
'Yeah Ratchet, I can handle this. I still can't believe I'm actually doing this.' Wheelie nodded, checking he'd removed anything that might get caught before carefully climbing onto Optimus' damaged shoulder.  
'This isn't your first time going inside.' Ratchet remarked, glancing at Optimus to make sure he was still okay with this plan.  
'I know but a shoulder is a little more complex than what I've done before.' Wheelie sighed, tying off his security rope and switching his toolbox to his tail.  
'You don't have to do this, you know that.'  
'Yeah, I know Ratchet. I want to though, I'm just a little nervous. My previous work inside Autobots was usually minor work. It's really not that different to working on the bikes, apart from everything being on a much bigger scale. Still got to be careful to avoid causing discomfort or making mistakes.' Wheelie shrugged, switching on his head lamp and climbing into the damaged shoulder.

Picking his way through the torn components and sheered metal, he eased down to the bottom of the joint, hooking his legs around one of the many support struts and bringing his toolbox into reach.  
'Let's get started Ratchet, I'm in position.'  
'Nice and still now Optimus, this might sting.' Ratchet warned, reaching in and supporting the damaged part that had to be removed.  
'Cutting now.' Wheelie called, knocking his welding mask down and igniting his cutting torch. Relaxing his legs a little, he eased down and started to cut through the metal, grateful for the adjustments Ratchet had made to his cutting torch to make the job easier.  
'Remember not to cut too deep. Some of the components underneath are still intact.'  
'Got it covered Ratchet.'

Following the diagram on the HUD inside his welding mask, Wheelie was constantly adjusting his cutting depth to avoid searing or damaging any of the intact components below his work surface. This had to be one of his most challenging workplaces, what with the occasional twitches from other components in the area, his difficult working position and the general hazards that came with using a cutting torch.  
'Just about done.' he called, ignoring the sweat dripping over his face as he moved to reach the last bridge of steel.  
'I've got the weight.' Ratchet replied, hand resting under the piece to keep it stable.  
'Almost through…take it Ratchet.' Wheelie grinned, switching off his torch and putting it away.  
'Job well done Wheelie.' Ratchet praised, removing the released component.  
'I'm going to need a few minutes before I try that again. Talk about a head spin.' Wheelie groaned, releasing his legs and hanging from his harness.  
'Take your time Wheelie; I'm still trying to work out what I'm supposed to build the replacement parts out of.'  
'I don't like the sound of that. I thought you already knew what you were going to use.'  
'Haven't found anything strong enough. I've been searching but there's nothing so far.'  
'Is it really a good thing to be removing this stuff before we know what to replace it with?'  
'We've got enough spare parts to organise a temporary patch to cover the wound until we figure out how to make the repairs.'  
'Well, that's a start at least. When I get done here I'll organise my team and see what we can come up with.'  
'Speaking of your team, how's Goggles?'  
'He's going to be out of action for a few weeks at least. Internal injuries and a few broken bones. He's not in ICU which is a good sign but it's going to be a while before he's back in action with the mechanical team.'  
'At least he's alive.'  
'Yeah, I'll always be grateful that he's still alive.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Surprising everyone with their energy, Terrence and Stephen ran onto the walkways and charged, darting around their bros and just generally having a good time. Laughing fit to burst, Stephen caught up with his brother and tackled him, flipping them both over the railing and down. Reaching out quickly, Sideswipe caught the pair in his cupped hands and brought them to his chest, gazing down at the pair. Half sitting up, Terrence and Stephen looked up at their catcher and grinned; relieved someone had been paying attention when they went over.  
'Thanks for the catch Sideswipe.' Stephen offered, half pinned under his twin. 'Oh, I don't think we've met.'  
'I'm Sunstreaker. I can't say I know a lot about your people but you two seem more similar than most of the mice I've seen.'  
'Don't you guys have brothers? I'm Terrence and this is my twin Stephen.'  
'Yeah, we have brothers. Sunstreaker's my spark-twin.' Sideswipe grinned, resting the young twins on his knee.  
'You two…now that's cool.' Stephen chuckled, heaving Terrence off his waist and rolling to his knees.  
'Whoops. You okay there Terrence.' Sunstreaker asked, catching Terrence when he slipped from Sideswipe's hand.  
'I'm cool Sunstreaker, nothing I haven't faced before. Steve can be a little hyper.'  
'I am not hyper Terry. You take that back.' Stephen argued, diving after his brother and starting another wrestling match.

Watching the pair wrestling away in his hand, Sunstreaker quickly cupped his empty hand over them and shuffled back a bit, Sideswipe also moving back to make a protected space between them. Easing his hand down, Sunstreaker deposited the pair on the floor as gently as he could. Leaning back against the wall, the older twins watched over the mice as they brawled, tumbling back and forth on the hard concrete without any concerns.  
'Remember when we used to fight like that over the smallest things?' Sideswipe asked, protecting the twins from any impacts against his armour.  
'I'd like to think we've both matured a bit since those days.' Sunstreaker replied, also guarding the twins from harm as they enjoyed their play fight.  
'We have, no denying it. We're both mature soldiers now, save the brawling for the Decepticons.'  
'Couldn't agree more. I do miss those crazier times though.'  
'So do I Sunny but we have to prove to Prime that we're dependable soldiers. Remember what he told us before we fled Cybertron?'  
'I remember Sides. I'll never forget that warning.'

Looking down at the twins on the floor, Sunny and Sides were surprised to find them fast asleep, curled up together on the hard floor. Terrence was on the bottom, his brother draped over his back and side quite comfortably. Proving that he could be gentle when it was needed, Sideswipe picked the pair up and rested them on his palm, content to watch them sleep.  
'I guess there are some things that all brothers do.' Sunstreaker remarked, moving back to lean against his brother.  
'I remember. If I recall, we weren't fussed about who was draped over whom.'  
'Nah, we were just happy to be together.'  
'I was wondering when they'd finally crash out. They've run off their post-battle energy and now it's time to sleep.' Dakota grinned, leaning on the railing with a blanket over his shoulder. 'Here, tuck them in and relax, they'll be down for a few hours at least.' he added, flicking the blanket off his shoulder and down.  
'we'll take care of them.' Sunstreaker promised, catching the blanket and draping it over the sleeping pair, nudging the edge back from their faces.  
'I have no doubt you will. Such innocence shouldn't be involved in war. They're the youngest of the team, barely even adults when we were abandoned on Earth and they've both seen more horror and hardship than anyone deserves to put up with.' Dakota sighed, pushing off the railing and walking away.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Connecting the vibro-cleaner and adjusting the settings, Braidy scrambled onto Bumblebee's back and got stuck in, working on loosening the gunk that had built up since the last time he'd been able to enjoy a proper wash. He'd done the best he could but there were still some spots that hadn't been properly clean in a very long time.  
'Now I can understand why you're in no hurry to go back to the N.E.S.T base, this is horrible Bee.'  
'Feels good to get clean.' Bumblebee replied, totally relaxed as Braidy worked on freeing the build up around his components.  
'I'll bet it does. Just relax bro, we'll get you back to your shining best in no time.' Emission chuckled, washing the grime of battle from any armour he could reach.  
'So this is where you three disappeared to.' Plate chuckled, leaning in the doorway and grinning at his little brother.  
'You just gonna stand there bro, or are you gonna pitch in and help?' Emission asked, relaxed in the gentle motions of scrubbing.  
'Was gonna go grab something to eat but I guess I can lend a hand.' Plate shrugged, filling another bucket and walking over to help.  
'Don't make it sound like such a hardship.'  
'Heh, you tell him Bee.' Braidy smirked, catching the falling gunk and tossing it aside so it didn't clog up the works even more.  
'Smart ass Autobots.' Plate muttered but there was no heat in his words as he got stuck into the cleanup.

Practically purring under their attention, Bumblebee relaxed and enjoyed the loving attention, finding it so much better than anything he'd experienced on Earth before. Sure, Sam tried to keep him clean and Ratchet helped with the spots he couldn't reach in the wash racks back on the military base but this was so much better.  
'This really ain't so different from washing Warrior. Apart from the size, it's pretty close.' Plate remarked, scrubbing at the nearest armour panel.  
'And having to get into a lot more nooks and crannies to ensure cleanliness.' Braidy agreed, half buried in Bumblebee's back as he chased up another thick wad of gunk.  
'There are worse ways to spend an evening that bathing an Autobot. Especially one as friendly and appreciative as Bee.' Emission chuckled, not really caring about the mess around them.  
'It's hard not to appreciate a good wash after a rough day.' Bumblebee offered, head pillowed on one arm as he drifted peacefully.  
'No kidding. I am definitely looking forward to a hot shower a bit later. But you get your bath first Bee.' Braidy nodded, worming out again and tossing another bucket of gunk out of the way.  
'Hey, watch it Braidy.' Plate called, wiping the gunk off his shoulders.  
'Oh, sorry Plate.'  
'Here, I'll clean you off.' Emission smirked, grabbing the hose and turning it on his brother.  
'Ack! Emission!' Plate growled, starting a wrestling match for the hose.  
'Come on bros, knock it off. We've still got work to do…whoa.' Braidy tried, losing his balance and falling when both khaki brothers turned the hose on him. 'That's it, this is war.'  
'Hey, what about my bath?' Bumblebee groused, shifting and looking back at the mice.  
'I haven't forgotten Bee.' Braidy soothed, climbing back up and turning the vibro-cleaner on again.

Sopping wet, Emission and Plate finally gave up on their wrestling match and turned their focus back to Bumblebee, still laughing their heads off. Slipping his vest off, Plate tossed it aside with a wet splat and picked up the sponge again, scrubbing away another layer of grime.  
'Was that fun guys?'  
'Oh yeah Bee. We don't often get to be who we really are so any chance we have to be fools is good.' Plate nodded, flicking his hair back over his shoulder.  
'We're always so busy that just to get a chance to act like an idiot with my big brother is a joy.' Emission agreed, adding a bit more soap to his bucket and stretching up to get at another panel.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Trying to keep his legs and tail out of the way as much as he could, Windvest wriggled deeper under the computer bank and sighed, arms curled through the wiring and other components to reach the blown circuit boards. He'd only just been released from medbay and here he was trying to repair their internal camera system.  
'Of all the rotten luck. This is not what Revs meant by taking it easy.' he grunted, isolating another board and marking it for replacement. 'Fuckin' Decepticons, causing chaos everywhere they go.'  
'How's it going in here Windvest?' Emily asked, crouching beside him.  
'Very fuckin' slowly. I don't know what happened to trash this but five of the terminals are completely fried, four are severely damaged, three might work after a couple days on repairs and the last three will most likely be up and running in a few hours.' he replied, worming out from under the console he was working on.  
'Is there anything you need to make the job a little easier?'  
'Yeah, some help would be nice. This is a big challenge Emily.'  
'I'll see what I can do Windvest. If I can't find anyone better trained, I'll come back and help you personally.'  
'Thanks Emily. Just don't tell Revs I'm here, I'm supposed to be taking it easy.'  
'Got you covered bro.' Emily nodded, patting his knee lightly before standing and leaving the room.  
'Talk about a fucked up day.' he muttered, stretching out and worming back under the console.

Tracing the electrical systems and mapping out the worst damage in the console, Windvest flinched away from the sparks still erupting from the damaged circuits even though the mains power was disconnected.  
'Emily said you needed some help in here.' Brains called, tapping Windvest's shin.  
'Yeah, these consoles are in bad shape.' Windvest replied, worming his way out and looking at his new assistant. 'Don't think we've met before. I'm Windvest, mechanic by trade.'  
'I'm Brains. What can I do to help?'  
'Come under this console with me and help me get it working. Emily wants the internal security system up and running ASAP.'  
'Then let's get busy.' Brains nodded, climbing onto Windvest's chest and squeezing into the maintenance area.  
'I like the way you think Brains. Just watch for the sparks in here, the wiring is still shorting out despite the power being cut.'  
'I'll be okay Windvest, a few electrical sparks won't do me too much harm.'  
'Well, alright then. I've made a start but there's a lot of work to do.'

With his much smaller stature, Brains was able to get into the areas that Windvest never had a chance to get at from his position on the floor. Seeing deeper into the electrical flows and registering the damaged areas within the flow, Brains made the job of finding the damage seem almost like a game. Even with his knowledge of the system, Windvest was hard pressed to keep up with Brains so left him to it and focused on rewiring the damaged areas he'd already prepared.  
"Windvest, anything you need up there?"  
'Yeah Wheelie, I'm going to need at least three of those total rewire kits for the internal monitoring stations.'  
"I'll inform Dakota. Not sure when you'll get them, Voodoo's still in medbay and the twins are sleeping."  
'Bonfire's out of medbay, give him the trolley.'  
"Yeah, that'll work. Had any more thoughts on our other problem?"  
'I'm still working on it but I might have something.'  
"Give it to me bro?"  
'What's wrong with pinching parts from the Decepticons we slaughtered?'  
"…I never thought of that. I'll mention it to Ratchet."  
'Thanks bro.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Staring at his radio in disbelief, Wheelie slumped back against the wall and shook his head, absolutely stunned that Windvest had come up with such an idea. Of the four mechanics that made up the section, Windvest was the least likely to come up with a practical mechanics solution. His true calling was auto-electrics, not practical mechanics like the rest of the team. Circuits and wiring were his forte, he knew nothing about gears and motors apart from the basics all Martians were expected to know. Wheelie never asked Windvest to go beyond that, knowing full well that he was a genius of electronics but clueless when it came to repairing a stripped gearbox or replacing an engine. Windvest seemed happy with what he was doing, expanding his knowledge of electronics and computers at the detriment of his practical mechanical skills.

Looking up from his own studies into gaining the supplies they needed, Ratchet was surprised to see Wheelie looking like he'd just been slapped with a cold, dead fish. He'd never seen a cold, dead fish but he remembered a rather strange discussion he'd had with Revs and the idea fit the situation.  
'You okay Wheelie?' he asked, offering his hand to the shaken mouse.  
'Uh, yeah, yeah I'm okay. I'm just in shock.' Wheelie nodded, climbing onto Ratchet's hand and sinking down to sit.  
'What happened? I thought you were just going to contact Windvest.'  
'That's what's got me so shocked.'  
'I don't understand.'  
'Okay, let me explain. Within the Mechanic section, I lead the team as Section Head. Goggles is my second, he's one hell of a Mechanic but couldn't master the complex and very delicate work that I do within the central systems of our bikes. Odd Ball is a fair Mechanic but isn't as well trained as Goggles. Then there's Windvest, the bottom mouse. He's got the basics of practical mechanics down but he hasn't got the interest to take his mechanical skills further. Instead he focuses on electronics and he's bloody good at it. In nine years, he hasn't found an electrical system that he couldn't repair or totally overhaul to improve.'  
'Okay, I can understand that. I had a similar setup back on Cybertron before the war.'  
'And believe it or not, Windvest just came up with the answer to our parts problem…I think.'  
'I'm listening, what's his possible solution?'  
'Why can't we pinch parts from the Decepticon carcasses?'

Putting Wheelie down on his cobbled together desk, Ratchet slumped back against the wall and hid his face behind his hands, unable to believe he'd missed such an obvious option for parts. All those parts up there would be more than enough to repair Optimus and Jazz and rebuild Ironhide from scratch.  
'I can't believe I didn't think of that. I feel like a right glitch now.' he groaned, glancing at Wheelie.  
'You're not the only one. Windvest's a mechanical idiot, he's willing to admit it too. I'm supposed to be his Section Head, yet he blindsided me with that one.'  
'I'm supposed to be a highly advanced alien medic. Repairing Autobots is what I do better than anyone else and I missed what was right in front of my optics.'  
'Let's just say he made us both look like idiots and get back to work.'  
'Deal. We'll need to organise a team to help gather up the Decepticon carcasses and bring them somewhere where we can strip out everything we can use, either immediately or in the future.'  
'I'll talk to Emily, you organise the Autobots.'  
'Sounds like a plan Wheelie.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Leaving behind only a skeleton crew, the rest of the team headed into the darkened ruins to start collecting up the scraps of the Decepticons and hauling them away. Once again Emily's extensive tunnel network came into play, providing several access points into the city and making it easy as hell to transfer the mess into underground hangers until they could be disassembled. Digging deep into her equipment manifest, Emily pulled out several pieces of construction equipment to clear the roads in some areas and help with the larger haul away tasks. It was actually amusing to pull off this job, especially when they considered how the cleanup crew would react come morning when they came to clear away the debris.

Attaching the lifting straps to what was left of Megatron, Christine whistled to Carbon and moved back as he craned the remains up and swung them into the trailer Magura was in charge of. Whistling his own instructions, Magura controlled the drop and nodded as the remains crashed into the trailer. Picking his way across the wreck, he released the straps and whistled again, watching the crane swing away safely. Swinging back into the cab, Magura pulled away to collect more scrap from elsewhere before heading underground to dump the load.

Down in the primary dump hanger, Sidewinder and his crew worked on the first reclamation stage - breaking the large pieces of scrap into smaller pieces that could be more easily managed. Optimus was also drafted for the cutting crews, heaving the larger pieces around and holding them stable for the mice to cut. Although explosives weren't necessarily the best tools for this job, they had nothing else that would remove the armour so they could get at the more important components underneath. Using their super det cord, the three mice easily removed the outer armour before handing the large pieces to the Mechanic team. Swarming over the pieces, the mechanical team disassembled joints and cut any connecting cables between parts, bundled removed bolts with the correct nuts and generally broke the larger pieces into sections the Wreckers could easily manage on their own. Carrying the pieces to the preparation hanger, the Wreckers piled the pieces carefully around the walls, stacking armour plates out of the way and generally neatening up the masses of metal coming in. Watching over the teardown teams, Ratchet offered guidance and assistance where necessary and helped with some of the bigger pieces while still watching out for a suitable replacement shoulder for Optimus.

Keeping watch over the work teams below, Emily used what remained of her defences to keep any military work teams out of Chicago and guided her friends towards the wreckage they needed to collect. The military wasn't really much of a problem at the moment, they were focusing on looking for bodies and survivors in the wreckage of the city and left the Autobots alone. Gaze drifting over the screens in front of her, she smiled as she watched her friends pulling together to get what was needed. Autobot and Martian side-by-side, helping and supporting each other as they chased the vital supplies and got them cleared away before anyone could tell them any different. There was Dino, using his mounted blades to rip Driller into more manageable pieces for the crane Fang was using to load Visor's truck. Decal was there too, using a backhoe to scoop up the smaller pieces and load them into a second truck, driven by Hammer. Que was also working on the Driller wreck, using one of his inventions to cut off sections which he tossed into Plate's truck.

#~#+^*^+#~#

It took most of the night but they finally had every Decepticon body cut up and stored away in the temporary storerooms. There was still more work to be done but the rest of the work could wait until the deconstruction teams were feeling up to it. Filing into the large room specifically cleared out for them, the Autobots spread out and settled down to recharge. Standing on the walkway, Slash watched over the group with a soft smile on his face, content to fill in for Emily while she slept peacefully.  
'You don't have to stand watch Slash, go to bed.' Optimus offered, easing to the floor and stretching out his legs.  
'I want to Optimus, just for a while. I'll sleep soon, promise.'  
'Very well.'

Getting comfortable in the corner, Optimus tucked his damaged shoulder close to the concrete and sighed through his intakes, optics dimming as he settled in for the night. Body relaxing as he shut down, he slouched a little more and sagged against the wall, the picture of relaxation. Settling beside Optimus, Bumblebee pillowed his head on one mighty calf as he settled down to recharge. Shuffling his doorwings and getting comfortable, the young scout hummed softly and slid into recharge, so innocent in his rest. 

Stretching out together, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker cuddled together in total comfort, Sunstreaker draping over Sideswipe's back and side, helms resting together as they slid into recharge. Sideswipe had one arm draped over Sunstreaker's back, protecting his twin from demons unseen in the night. Prowl found his place near them, half turned onto his chest and head tucked into his arms as he settled, doorwings relaxing against his back comfortably. Twitching a couple of times, he finally relaxed and sunk willingly into recharge with a faint smile on his faceplates.

Setting something on the floor and easing down, Que put his back to the corner and shuffled his components before relaxing, half curled up and braced against rolling by his extended right leg, head half tucked into his arm and he was down, systems quietening into his rest mode. Pulling something from subspace, Dino slipped the covers over his blades and settled back beside Que, whistle-clicking something in their own language. Whatever he said had an effect on Que, he shuffled closer to Dino and welcomed one arm over his shoulders, a comforting gesture among friends.

Finding their own place to call a bed for the night, the Wreckers got ready for recharge quietly. Moving slowly, Roadbuster slid down the wall a little more and rested his head on Leadfoot's thigh, optics clicking off as he slid into recharge. Lifting one hand, Leadfoot draped his arm over Roadbuster's shoulders, fingers rubbing idle patterns on his armour. Hiding a yawn behind one hand, Topspin shuffled around to join Roadbuster in recharge, supported by their shorter brother. Unconcerned by their audience, Leadfoot held his fellow Wreckers gently and relaxed back against the wall, optics dimming out as he slumped against the concrete and welcomed the embrace of recharge.

Looking around again, Slash smiled and turned to leave before he realised that there was still one Autobot awake and refusing to slip peacefully into recharge. Turning back to the railing, Slash sighed and watched as Ratchet fought to stay awake, nodding off and snapping awake again.  
'Go to sleep Ratchet, you're safe here. It's okay, we're keeping watch tonight.'  
'I'll be okay Slash, off you go to bed.'  
'Emily requested that I stay here until all the Autobots were deep in recharge. I'm not leaving.'  
'You'll be there a while then.'  
'What's wrong Ratchet? Talk to me, let me help.' Slash coaxed, ignoring the various aches in his muscles as he scrambled down one of the ropes anchored to the walkway and landed beside Ratchet. 'What's troubling you?'  
'It's nothing you can help with Slash. I need time.'  
'It's Ironhide, isn't it? You miss him. I've been there Ratchet, I know what it's like to lose someone you care about.'  
'Bonfire's still alive, it's not the same.'  
'Bonfire's not the first guy I've been with. First came Sprocket, we weren't together for long but I loved him with all I had. We were going to commit to each other for eternity but the Plutarkians killed him. Took me a long time to come back from that loss, I still think about him occasionally.' Slash sighed, hanging his head slowly. 'Ironhide's not truly gone, you know that.'  
'I…he's not here anymore. Thousands of years and he was always right here. Everything we faced, the battles we fought and I could always count on him to be here. He's not here and it hurts.' Ratchet uttered, one hand pressed to his chest, right over his spark.  
'Sounds like how I feel whenever Bonfire's hurt. We share a bond, forged during our commitment union. Whenever one of us is hurt, the other feels it deep inside. Mind to mind and heart to heart.' Slash nodded, wishing he knew what to do to help. 'Running yourself down isn't going to bring him back any faster. You need to rest so you can focus on creating a body that Ironhide can be proud of.'  
'Can't…never been much good on my own. Need him.' Ratchet confessed, drawing his legs up and hiding his face.  
'Hmmm, we can't have that. Sit tight Ratchet, I think I know what you need.' Slash soothed, grabbing the rope and starting back up again. 'Don't go anywhere.'  
'I won't.' Ratchet uttered, not looking up as the Martian 2IC jogged away.

Sprinting down concrete corridors, Slash headed for the lowest section of the base, using his security clearance to get to his final goal - the isolation chamber. Boots skidding across the surface, he grabbed one of the energy jars Windvest had created and looked at it for a moment before approaching the isolation chamber that held Ironhide's spark. Recalling the briefing Wheelie and Windvest had given regarding the jars, he slid it into the connector and activated the system, praying that this worked. The spark seemed to shy away from the jar, not wanting to place any of its energy in the clear confines that were there in the wall.  
'Ironhide, I don't know if you can hear me now but please. This isn't for me, this isn't for any of this mice. Give me something to give Ratchet, something to ease his pain as he tries to rest without you. I will not keep you apart, give me something that he can take into his own spark to restore what he's lost with your passing. Please Ironhide, if you can hear me, help me now.' he tried, gazing at the spark hovering in its chamber. A finger of energy arched away from the spark, reaching for the energy jar still plugged into the chamber. Striking the transfer point, the bolt was absorbed into the jar and held their securely, forming into a second spark within the safe confines. Closing the access hatch, Slash carefully eased the jar out and looked at the blue orb of energy for a moment before leaving the room, the precious gift cradled in his arms.

Careful not to damage the priceless gift in any way, Slash took the shorter route back to Ratchet, wandering through the main doors and back to where the medic was still sitting, head buried in his knees.  
'Ratchet, I'm back. I've got something for you, something from Ironhide.' he coaxed, grateful that the light spilling from the jar hadn't disturbed anyone.  
'Something from Ironhide?' Ratchet asked, lifting his head slowly and looking down at Slash.  
'I went down to his isolation chamber and asked for something to ease your pain. I asked for something you could take into your own spark to restore what has been damaged by his passing. I don't know what was transferred into the jar but he wants you to have it.' Slash explained, offering up the energy jar. Ratchet carefully took it between two fingers, feeling the contained energy trying to break out and reach him.

Gazing into the jar, Ratchet realised what Ironhide had sent and froze, nervous about accepting the gift but knowing he couldn't turn it away without offending Ironhide deeply. Opening his chestplates and then his spark chamber, Ratchet turned the energy jar so the transfer panel was facing his spark and waited patiently. Launching from the jar, the bolt of energy struck Ratchet's spark dead centre and vanished inside, blending with the essence of the medic and forming something new. Closing his spark chamber and chestplates, Ratchet sighed contentedly and leant back against the wall, feeling the changes within his spark.  
'Ironhide, my one love.' he whispered, one hand resting over his spark protectively.  
'Feel better now Ratchet?' Slash asked, watching over the medic as he relaxed.  
'Much better Slash. You have no idea how precious this gift is.' Ratchet nodded, carefully handing back the empty and scorched jar.  
'I don't need to know Ratchet. All that matters is that you're feeling better. Hush now, get comfortable and rest. Tomorrow is another day and there's lot to be done.' Slash grinned, batting aside his own exhaustion as Ratchet stretched out on the floor. Back to the wall and half curled up to protect his spark, Ratchet was soon in recharge, a contented little smile on his features.  
'Goodnight Slash.' he muttered before dropping off completely.  
'Sleep well, my dear friends.' Slash uttered, covering a yawn as he left the Autobots to sleep.


	7. A New Start

Knowing her Chicago base was no longer safe for the mice or the Autobots, Emily turned her attention to creating a new place for them all. Digging through all her land purchases in search of something that would do the job required, she finally found something suitable in Wisconsin. Well out of the way of everything, it was a perfect place to set up a new home for everyone to share and enjoy. There wasn't much there, a small house and a few maintenance hangers but that was all about to change. Getting in touch with several contractors she'd used before, she invited them all to a meeting at the property to discuss what she wanted them to create for her.

Gathering the construction crew in one of the maintenance hangers, Emily handed each man a folder detailing their part of the massed building project. Opening the folders, the contractors got their first look at what was a very ambitious building project. Fifteen foot concrete walls topped with barbed wire lined the perimeter and stuck out on the two long sides to create almost like arms. Within this front area was a beautiful old style country home, complete with a nice little white picket fence and landscaped gardens. It would have been very beautiful, if not for the massive concrete fence right behind the house. Three heavy steel doors were fitted into this front wall, a small one behind the house and two much larger ones on either side. Behind the fence was where things got a little strange though. Behind the larger of the big steel gates, 16 large sheds were planned out in two neat lines of eight. Bitumen roads connected these sheds to a network within the group but also into the wider compound. On the other side of the compound, behind the smaller steel gate, another road network was set out to connect 29 identical brick houses. Nine houses formed each side of the network, three ran between them as a raised back line and the last eight were in two rows just in front of the trio of houses. Behind both building complexes was another strange collection of things; a racing track, jumps track, lake and a large concrete area. On either side of this multi-use area were more sheds, marked out as workshops and maintenance bays. Right at the very back of the compound, almost touching the concrete wall, stood a long line of storage sheds, each one big enough to hold a semi or other large vehicle.

Baffled by the strange set up of the entire complex and the detailed plans of the interiors of all the buildings, the contractors knew better than to question Emily's odd requests. They knew she called on them because they knew how to be discrete and she always paid well for that discretion and their good work.  
'What's the timeline for this Emily?' one asked, looking up from his plans of the sheds.  
'This is a rush job guys, I need this one done in one year. I know I'm dumping a lot on all of you but if you need help, reach out to your trusted colleagues that are not here. You know my stipulations about employees, make sure they're trustworthy and discrete, I will cover any additional costs that will occur if extra hands are required.' Emily replied, looking around the gathering slowly.  
'We're going to need a lot more builders to get these houses built.'  
'It's not going to be cheap to insulate all these sheds.'  
'These are some mighty plumbing jobs. We'll need some heavy duty support.'  
'I will be here to answer all questions you have and to personally keep an eye on your efforts. Go and get your teams ready, time is of the essence.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Back in Chicago, the rest of the team were flat out with repairs and salvage operations throughout the extensive facility. They'd done a lot of temporary patching on their ceilings to get them back up to the level of the roadways and then just waited for the humans to reconstruct the roads to finish the job. They of course knew of Emily's plan to move out and reorganised things appropriately, packing their less vital supplies onto trailers and lining them up in one of the few empty hangers until moving day. Slimming down everything scattered throughout the base, they sorted out what would not be needed in the next 12 months and moved it to the transport hangers, stacking everything neatly so loading the returning trailers would be a simple job.

The moving preparations kept most of the team busy, they had a lot of stuff to sort, inventory and prepare for transport. Only the mechanics and medics weren't packing, they had other jobs to do. The medics kept watch over the massed team and tended to the various strains and sprains that came with moving while also working in shifts to keep an eye on their patients. The Mechanic team split onto two tasks, disassembling all the Decepticon parts into their various components and repairing the bikes. This gave them all one very big challenge but with Que on their side, they weren't worried about screwing up. Wheelie and Windvest dissected the pieces on the large workbench Que had rigged up and he cleared away the pieces, stacking the different components in some large crates he'd knocked up from damaged shipping containers Emily had given him. All three active mechanics were enjoying the challenge of tearing these large pieces of machinery down for parts, the physical effort and the mental gymnastics required to safely teardown each section without damaging anything was a real thrill for all of them. Odd Ball had the bigger workload, all alone in the garage as he rebuilt Armageddon's damaged frame.  
'You guys are really good at this.' Que remarked, watching them swarm over a disjointed forearm and fall into rhythm again.  
'We did the same to our ship after we crashed here. Parts of it are holding this base up; other parts were melted down to build new sections of the base.' Wheelie replied, firing up his cutting torch again. 'Back! Releasing the tension lines.' he warned, leaning over and cutting through the locking pins holding the tension cables.

Huddled behind the safety shield, Windvest flinched as one of the cables hit the shield and ricocheted off harmlessly.  
'Clear!' Wheelie called, switching off the flame and turning his attention to the pins he could see. 'We're still one Mechanic down but we'll get the job done.' he added, reactivating his cutting torch and burning out the damaged pins without damaging the surrounding components or wiring.  
'Back to work.' Windvest replied, coiling up cables and wiring onto the spindles secured to the workbench.  
'How is Goggles doing?' Que asked, helping to break down the framework.  
'He's awake, still battered and bruised but Revs should be releasing him soon. Of course, it's going to still be at least a couple months before he's back to work.'  
'Tough break.'  
'Feh, injuries happen. We've all been there; there ain't a mouse in this unit that hasn't had to sit out while his section gets busy. That's just the way it goes.' Windvest shrugged, dissecting a section of wiring and sorting it out.  
'Doesn't mean we have to like it though. We're getting through our repair lists, slowly but surely.' Wheelie agreed, applying a slow-cool agent to his latest cut and moving on. 'Odd Ball's absolutely flat out on rebuilding Armageddon, she's in bad shape.'  
'Can't one of you two help him with the repairs?'  
'That's the thing Que; we've all got different skill levels. I'd be remiss in my duties to put two junior mechanics on a task the scale of these teardowns. Without Goggles to help, I had to choose the jobs carefully. Odd Ball's a practical Mechanic, not quite at my level but good enough to work on the bikes without supervision. Windvest in more comfortable with electronics, hence why he's up here with us. Windvest is my most junior Mechanic, he hasn't yet passed his proficiency exams to allow him to work unsupervised.' Wheelie explained, glancing over to where Windvest was carefully removing another length of cabling from the part they were working on.  
'Shouldn't you be pushing him so he's ready for that exam?'  
'Wouldn't matter Que, I'm not ranked correctly to give him the proficiency exam. Only a Master Mechanic can do that and I'm just a Unit Chief Mechanic. Besides, asking Windvest to prepare for that exam would only stress him out and cause him to panic. He's not cut out to be a practical Mechanic; he accepts that and strives to be an unqualified Master Auto-Electrician. I'd love to sign off on his qualifications but again, I'm not ranked for it. Being isolated sucks, I can't show just how good my team is.'  
'So contact your home and see if a Master Mechanic can be sent.'  
'It's not that easy Que. We didn't just leave our war torn homeworld, we were banished. SAU 14 was kicked out, false charges drummed up to keep us away from our home. No point calling home, no one will answer. That's just the way it is for us.'  
'I can't believe that.'  
'Believe it Que, we haven't been home in nine years and we all know we'll never see our home again. We'll die on foreign soil; we accept that and try to make the best of our lives here. Don't look so shocked Que; we've gotten over the betrayal. Earth is our home now and Emily our parton. We are loyal to her and support her unconditionally as she supports us.'  
'I…there's nothing I can say to answer that, I know.'  
'Thanks for caring Que, that's all we can ask for. You guys care about us, you see us as more than expendable losers.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Finishing up the repairs to Optimus' shoulder, Ratchet stood back and nodded, watching as Optimus eased to his feet and tested out his new shoulder. He hadn't been expecting the job to be done so quickly, considering he was now using Megatron's shoulder linkage. But Ratchet had done a good job, smoothing out the edges and making the replacement as perfect as he possibly could. Walking into the empty room next door, Optimus put real tension through his shoulder as he transformed, feeling for any problems and finding none. Returning to his base mode, he nodded and crouched, letting Ratchet have one last inspection of the damaged area, just to be absolutely certain.  
'All right, you're good to go. The moving team in the southern sectors of the base needs your help with hauling supplies.'  
'I still find it hard to believe that Mearing hasn't come to try and take us away.' Optimus mused, fairly sure he knew what help the southern sector team needed.  
'I've got a feeling we haven't heard the last of Charlotte Mearing. I'm not worried though, Emily said she'd keep us safe from that woman.' Ratchet shrugged, giving Optimus a nudge to get going before heading back into his temporary medbay.

Turning to a covered item in the corner, Ratchet sighed and lifted the tarpaulins off, tossing them into the corner as he looked at the broken body that had once held the life of Jazz. Fingertips tracing over the plating, he shook off those dark thoughts and got to work, making his own scans of the damage and mapping out the repairs that would be needed. Sighing softly again, he grabbed out his tools and got to work, knowing he'd never feel comfortable working on Ironhide until Jazz was back with the main group. Time wasn't an issue, it's not like Jazz was going to fade if he didn't get the work done fast but that didn't mean Ratchet was going to slack off. He'd already organised everything he would need, placing parts and equipment within easy reach so his work would flow smoothly and Jazz would be restored.  
'Mind if I watch Ratchet?' a familiar voice called, a voice that made Ratchet smile and look up from his work.  
'Goggles, I wasn't expecting you to be released for a while yet. By all means, of course you can watch.'  
'I'm still on medical stand down for a few weeks and then light duties but there was no point keeping me cooped up in the infirmary any longer.' Goggles replied, moving his motorised chair closer so he could peer down at Ratchet's careful work.  
'Wheelie will be glad to hear you're out of the infirmary. He's under a lot of stress.'  
'I know but Revs made his orders clear, I'm still not allowed anywhere near the mechanical work.'  
'Always listen to your medics.'  
'Damn right. Thought you'd be working on rebuilding Ironhide.'  
'Nah, Jazz has been waiting longer. Ironhide understands, he knows I'm always fair.'

Leaning back comfortably, Goggles tried not to think about how close he'd come to being forced to hand in his commission in the unit. He'd been so unlucky, taking the weight of his bike, Flicker, right across his back. Thankfully it had been a rebound impact so she'd lost a lot of speed but it was still too close to paraplegia for him to be comfortable. As it was he'd be on medical stand down and light duties for a long time until Revs was satisfied that his back was all healed up and he could get back to work. Watching Ratchet work, the burly mechanic found a new appreciation for how complex Autobot bodies were. So many components had been damaged and needed repairing or replacing. Having tried on several occasions to do the work themselves, Goggles was glad to see a professional taking over the work and making it seem so very easy. But knowing Jazz would soon be back with them put a smile on his two-toned face, he really missed the loud mech and his music tastes.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Looking at the trailer they had to move, Prowl sighed and shook his head, not sure how they'd been dragged into such tasks when the city above still needed a lot of repairs. Helping to take the weight as Plate worked the leading dolly into place and secured it, the black mech put his strength to the test and got the trailer moving, feet digging into the concrete to keep the container on track.  
'Bumblebee, a little help over here.'  
'Coming Prowl.' Bee replied, picking his way past the mice and grabbing the other side of the trailer.  
'There has got to be an easier way to do this.'  
'Sure there is Prowl. We could use trucks designed to haul these trailers but running all those engines in these enclosed spaces isn't healthy. Normally we'd use the gantry lines but the railing in this section of the base is still in pieces.' Tank replied, jacking up another smaller crate and moving towards one of the open containers lined up by the wall.  
'So we're doing everything manually.'  
'We've got an easy section of the base Prowl. The southern section is where the hard work is, hauling around the base systems. Those generators, pumps and control units are fucking huge.' Plate shrugged, crating up boxes of parts.  
'So wouldn't it make sense for all the Autobots to be down there helping?'  
'Nah, most of the work down there is heavy haulage. Everything's already on trailers, it's just a matter of wrapping, strapping and hauling. If you think these trailers are heavy, you won't have a hope down there.' Christine replied, sealing up another crate and shoving it towards one of the containers.

Rumbling into the holding area, Terrence and Stephen turned their borrowed semis around and hooked onto two of the waiting trailers, jumping down to connect up the hoses before pulling out again. Once the containers were loaded and their inventories secured in clear plastic cases on the locked doors, they were craned onto the waiting trailers for the driving team to haul out to the secondary marshalling area. Fifteen semis made the trip in every convoy, heading out to Emily's secondary facility just outside Chicago and delivering their trailers in neat rows before picking up more of the empty trailers and containers Emily had hired or purchased for the big move. Once the work at the Wisconsin job site was down to one shift a day, the convoys would head out to start delivering loads of supplies to the grand compound. Sixteen loads a night with all hands on deck to unload the containers and get everything packed away before the containers were hauled back to Chicago for another load.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Tires biting into the concrete, Optimus heaved against the trailer he'd been assigned to move out. Straining against the load, he finally got it to inch forward and towards the ramps leading to the surface. Shifting gears and straining again, he picked up speed and rumbled out of the section, engine roaring as he climbed the ramps to join the first long distance convoy. Emily had specifically asked for these generators and pumps to be taken to Wisconsin the moment they were out of the deepest section of the base. Most of them had already gone up to wait on the surface but this last one had proven a right pain to get moving.

Emerging from the darkness, he slotted into the waiting convoy parked outside a warehouse and relaxed, hoping this trailer wasn't going to give him a hard time the entire trip.  
'All right guys, these are vital parts for the Wisconsin project. Treat them with care, Emily doesn't really want to have to get new ones made because one of you made a mistake. Stick together and be careful.' Blade called, looking around at the eleven drivers that would be accompanying Optimus. 'Braidy, you take the lead. Emission, rear guard. Optimus, I want you right in the middle of the convoy. We are taking no chances with the military getting their hands on you again.'  
"Thank you Blade. I have no desire to go back to living in such conditions."  
'You won't Optimus, I give you my word. Hit the road guys, you've got a long drive ahead. Stay together and don't take any detours, you all know how devious the military can be.' Blade nodded, heading back down below as the convoy drivers raced for their rigs and filed out of the warehouse district.

Moving into sixth position in the convoy of twelve, Optimus was quite content to rumble out of the city and onto the highways, keeping his distance from Fang in front and checking Decal was maintaining distance behind.  
"Feel good to get out on the open road again Optimus?"  
'I am concerned about leaving the others but I believe the drive will do me good.'  
"Everyone else will be perfectly safe, don't worry. No one can get near that base unless they're coded into the system. If the humans try, they'll be chased off quick smart."  
'I remember the briefing Emily gave on the abilities of her defences within Chicago. Leaving Ironhide in charge of them is a concern however. You all know what he can be like.'  
"He'll be okay Optimus, Emily gave him a stern warning about abusing the trust she's putting in him."  
'What do you know about this Wisconsin project?'  
"Not much Optimus, Emily's keeping it close to her chest. All we know is that she's building a new home for all of us, a place where we can be free and happy. Apart from that, we're not sure what she's planning."  
'It must be quite a project for her to need all these generators and pumps.'  
"Hard to say, she could be just covering her bases with secondary systems and all that. We'll find out when we get there I suppose."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Taking a break from their labours, Wheelie and Windvest downed tools and wandered over to where they'd left their water bottles and other tools. Peeling his vest off and tossing it aside, Wheelie slumped down on his toolbox and grabbed his water bottle, drinking deep as he relaxed. Sitting on his own toolbox, Windvest plucked his pale grey braid off his back and tied it into a loose bun before digging out one of the snack packs Christine had given them that morning. Tearing it open, he pulled out a muesli bar before offering the bag to Wheelie. Taking the bag gratefully, Wheelie snagged the other muesli bar and peeled it open, wiping the sweat off his face as they ate.  
'Bro, do you ever regret not taking on another practical Mechanic when you realised I wasn't one?' Windvest asked, hanging his head as he chewed.  
'What? Where'd you get that crazy idea bro?'  
'Been running around in my head for a while now.'  
'Windvest, you are an integral part of this team. I knew from the moment you first joined 14 that you would fit our dynamic perfectly. You came into an established section, that's hard for anyone but you stood up and you let us know exactly what you were thinking. That took a lot of courage but it also earned you a lot of respect. I knew from the start that you weren't interested in practical mechanics but that wasn't going to stop me from welcoming you into the team. I had faith in you, I believed that you would thrive if given the chance to follow your mechanical abilities. I have never and will never regret choosing you over the other guys I could have taken. Do you hear me bro?' Wheelie explained, draping one arm around Windvest's shoulders tenderly.  
'I hear ya bro. I guess I've always wanted to know if I was a pity choice.'  
'Fuck that shit, you're no pity choice. There were guys with a lot more talent for practical mechanics but I turned them down because they didn't fit the team. You were shy in the beginning but once you came out of your shell and got to know the team, it was like you'd always been there. That was the golden essence I wanted in my section and once we had it, we never looked back. I don't care if you're not that great with practical mechanics, you've got three bros to count on when you need help. You bring your own talents to the group, none of us can rewire a bike with the same efficiency and talent you can and we know that. We all have our strengths and weaknesses bro, together we compliment each other and pull well as a team. Don't ever forget that.'  
'I won't Wheelie, thanks.'  
'Don't ever change Windvest, don't try for the skills you know you don't have.'  
'I promise Wheelie, I'm happy being the team auto-elec.'  
'And we're proud to have you with us, big brother. You'll always be the big brother of the section.' Wheelie grinned, nudging Windvest lightly.

Leaning lightly on the bench, Que watched the pair as they relaxed and shared a snack from the bag between their feet. Their easy friendship reminded him of his own dear friend, still somewhere out in the wider universe and hopefully heading to Earth.  
'It's going to take a lot longer to pull this stuff apart than I anticipated.' Wheelie remarked, digging out a pack of sandwiches and opening it before offering it to Windvest.  
'I can't even see the dent we've put in the pile of sections waiting for teardown.' Windvest agreed, taking half the sandwich and tucking in contentedly.  
'I've got a feeling some of this gear is going to be transported to Wisconsin intact. A year to tear is all apart is asking a bit much.' Wheelie sighed, taking the other half of the sandwich. 'Ham and egg, sweet.'  
'Surely Goggles and Odd Ball will be available to help before then.' Que sighed, starting to doubt they'd ever get the job done.  
'Yeah, for sure. It's just a matter of when Odd Ball gets done with the bike repairs and when Goggles is cleared for full duty. Until then, it's just the three of us to put the biggest dent in this pile that we possibly can.' Windvest shrugged, his optimism back full strength after his pep talk from Wheelie.  
'It's not gonna be easy Que but together we'll get the job done. We're in for a lot of hard work but I've got total belief in my team. They know there is a big job to be done and it will be done.' Wheelie nodded, finishing his sandwich and tossing the rubbish back in the bag. 'Ready bro?'  
'Back to the grind.' Windvest grinned, swigging down another mouthful of water before grabbing his tool belt and moving back towards the section on the tabletop.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Unhooking her phone and snapping it open, Emily pressed it to her ear without losing her flow on designing the security net that would enfold the new base at all times.  
'This is Emily.'  
'…'  
'No, I am not kidding on the dimensions of those cloths I asked you to manufacture. Each set was carefully measured to fulfil the role required.'  
'…'  
'I went to your company because I know you will fulfil my order within the timeframe I have set.'  
'…'  
'This is a big contract for you. Surely you are not serious about me taking my business elsewhere.'  
'…'  
'You have never balked at any order I've placed with your company before James.'  
'…'  
'True enough. Tell me now if you absolutely cannot fulfil the order and I will find a company that can.'  
'…'  
'Very well. Focus on the larger pieces. I will send the order for the standard bedding to another company.'  
'…'  
'Contact me when they are ready to be picked up, I will collect the items personally.'  
'…'  
'Thank you James.'  
'…'

Closing her phone and securing it back on her belt, Emily pushed away from her drafting table and rolled over to her computer, bringing up the massive bedding order she'd figured out. Taking just the list of stuff to furnish the Martian homes, she emailed it to a different company that she'd used before, trusting that they would get the list completed and ready for collection within the stipulated timeframe. Receiving conformation of the order and a promise to be ready on time, Emily turned her attention back to the security network once again. She had most of the system sorted in her mind but actually creating the network was a little bit trickier. The walls were specifically being built with the idea of mounting weapons on the top and running the control wiring down trenches on the interior side of the walls. These cavities would be capped with steel panels for maintenance, making the network easy to manage but there was still a lot of mental gymnastics required to fit everything in without making anything obvious.

Checking her list of available defences, she adjusted the design to balance out the anti-air and anti-personnel weapons as well as slotting in a few nasty anti-armour surprises. Normally she'd be worried about having so many defences on permanent show but with the new Martian tech Wheelie had given her the use of, she was confident in displaying her strength and knowing the military would never be able to knock out her weapons. She also had six secret exits for the underground facilities buried deep under the foundation level. Down in these deep hangers she had a full stock of fighters, each one customised for a specific Martian pilot. She'd painstaking taught them all to fly, helping them find fighters that were comfortable and suited them before painting them up in similar colours to their bikes. They were the real secret to defending base, no one would see them emerge from the hangers thanks to some clever holographic units that had already been installed near the six launch zones.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cables popping and clicking, Ratchet stretched his back and looked down at the work he'd achieved so far. Most of Jazz's internals had been reconnected and secured and signs were good that he'd have this job done in a few weeks. Of course, it all depended on when Optimus was available between hauling loads out to the storage facility the mice were using. Hooking up the testing fluid he was using, Ratchet opened the valve and tracked the fluid movements, making adjustments and connecting the outer networks of piping back into the main system. Watching and adjusting the system until he was satisfied with the repairs, Ratchet drained the testing fluid and took a moment to work the kinks out of his system before getting back to work.

Wandering into the repair bay, Que watched his old friend for a moment before leaning against the wall, waiting for Ratchet to notice he wasn't alone and look up from his work.  
'What'd you do this time Jack?' Ratchet asked, not looking up from his work as he reverted to a long unused name.  
'Nothing Ratchet, I've been helping with the teardowns all day.'  
'Then why are you here, you don't usually come into my 'bay unless you're damaged.'  
'It's late Ratchet, everyone else is already asleep. You need to rest, Jazz will still be there tomorrow.'  
'I made a promise Jack, you know what that means.'  
'I know Ratchet but that doesn't mean you need to work through the nights as well. Jazz will understand.'  
'I'll be fine Wheeljack, you go rest. I want to get this done.'  
'Then what? Optimus isn't going to be back for at least a week, longer maybe. There's nothing that can be done to reawaken Jazz's body until he gets back with the Matrix of Leadership.'  
'I can still have everything ready for that day. One project at a time, you know how I am.'

Realising why Ratchet was so determined to finish Jazz's repairs, Que shoved off the wall and walked over to stand beside his friend, one hand coming up to squeeze his shoulder gently.  
'You want to finish this so you can move onto rebuilding Ironhide without feeling guilty, don't you?' he asked, catching Ratchet's wrist and stopping his work.  
'I never could keep anything from you, could I?' Ratchet sighed, putting his tools down and turning to Que properly.  
'Maybe when we first became friends but now, not a chance. Come on Ratchet, just rest a few hours.'  
'I can't Wheeljack, I just can't.'  
'Please Ratchet, just a few hours. Even if you don't recharge, just sit and rest your cables awhile.' Que coaxed, gently guiding Ratchet away from the repair work. 'You'll feel better after a break.'  
'Don't you get it Wheeljack? I need Ironhide, plain and simple. I don't expect you to understand Wheeljack, I don't fully understand either. All I know is that I need Ironhide and I need him now.' Ratchet uttered, practically collapsing until Que caught his fall and lowered him gently. 'I can't do this alone.'  
'Do what? Talk to me Ratchet, I've never seen you like this before.'  
'I…we sparked Wheeljack, its early days still but…well, see for yourself.' Ratchet confessed, sagging against the wall and opening his chestplates.

Crouching beside his friend, Que almost couldn't believe what he was witnessing as Ratchet's spark chamber clicked open. Fishing out a long unused kit from his subspace, Que lifted out a special tool and very gently reached in to nudge Ratchet's spark out of the way. And there, safely tucked into a little offshoot pocket, a second tiny spark beat in rhythm with Ratchet's own. Easing Ratchet's spark back into position, Que quickly cleaned the tool and replaced it in his kit, stunned by the revelation.  
'That sparklet can't be more than a week old. But Ironhide's been in the computer for longer than that, right?' he asked, securing his toolkit again.  
'Slash went down to Ironhide's isolation chamber with a device used to transfer energy. He asked Ironhide for something I could take into my spark to ease my loneliness. A tiny little piece of Ironhide's spark transferred into the device and I welcomed that piece without hesitation. I only realised what had happened when I came out of recharge the following morning.' Ratchet explained, components resettling to protect the sparklet.  
'So this is why you're pushing so hard to get Ironhide back. You don't want to face preparing for your child alone. I understand that Ratchet, you know I understand how hard that can be. You're not alone Ratchet, I'm not Ironhide but I still care. Let me help you, we'll finish repairing Jazz and make a start on rebuilding Ironhide together.' Que tried, shifting to lean against the wall beside Ratchet, still amazed by this new change.  
'Thanks Wheeljack. I didn't meant to sound so harsh, I remember that incident back on Cybertron. I'm sorry, I'm just freaking out a little here. This is my first sparklet and I'm really not sure what to do. I know the usual spiel medics give carriers but it's not offering any comfort now.'  
'It's going to be okay Ratchet, I'll help you through this. Now, I need you to listen to me for once. You need to rest, start taking it easy now and you'll find the later stages of your sparking are easier. I'll guide you through the process but you need to trust my experience on this.'  
'I do Wheeljack, you know I do. I haven't told Ironhide yet, I want it to be a surprise for him.'  
'All right, we'll keep this just between us for now. Put your head down and rest Ratchet, I'll stay right here. Shh, you'll get through this Ratchet, I promise.' Que soothed, guiding Ratchet to lean against him. 'There you go, its okay.'  
'Thanks Jack.' Ratchet uttered, settling against his friend and accepting the embrace of recharge.  
'I reckon you'll make a wonderful carrier Ratchet.' Que uttered, getting comfortable and slipping into recharge beside his old friend.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Pulling up outside the Wisconsin construction site, Optimus waited patiently as the track into the site was cleared and the delivery order sorted out. Receiving his signal to unload, he strained against the weight of the trailer and got the reluctant piece of machinery to move again. He was relieved to be getting rid of this load, it had been nothing but trouble since leaving Chicago.  
"Having trouble there big man?" Emily asked, waving him forward and guiding him along the track.  
'I hate this trailer. I've had nothing but trouble since leaving Chicago.'  
"Sorry, I meant to give you one of the better trailers. I knew about the troubles with that one and actually organised for you to take one of the newer generators."  
'It does not matter now Emily, all twelve loads are here safely. Now, where did you need this left?'  
"Just pull up there and we'll get that generator offloaded. The trailer should behave better once the weight is off."  
'Very well Emily.'

Hooking up the lifting straps and releasing the bolts holding the generator to the trailer, Emily and the rest of the contractors on shift to help with the work prepared the first generator for lifting. Throwing aside the tie-down straps and chains, one of the contractors signalled the crane operator to take the strain and lift the load. Waiting patiently for the load to shift off, Optimus kept part of his attention on the load and the people working around him but most of his attention was directed internally. Communing with the Matrix and going through his memory banks, he searched for any information about recovering the dead from the grip of Primus. He was determined to have some answers to the problem by the time he returned to Chicago to face recovering Jazz from death.

Watching the first generator as it was lifted from the trailer and swung towards the pit where it would be permanently housed to supply power to the base, Emily smiled and ducked under the dirty old trailer Optimus was hauling. Unhooking a hammer from her tool belt, she beat the built up grease and rust off the axles to ease the friction. Rolling out from under the trailer, she popped open the mounted toolbox and grabbed out a grease gun and suitable grease. Disappearing underneath again, she re-greased the axles and checked for further problems before crawling out again. Putting the grease gun back and wiping her hands, she walked the length of the rig and climbed up on the driver's side, placed a package on the seat and climbed down before waving Optimus off. Pulling out again and finding the trailer much easier to move, Optimus returned to the waiting area and relaxed as best he could, patience unending as the mice lined up to unload.


	8. Reunions

Finishing the last repairs, Ratchet sagged back against the wall and let Que scan the silent body just to be certain that the repairs were up to scratch. Feeling the responsibility on his shoulders, Que made sure his scan was thorough, not wanting anything to go wrong with their first revival attempt. Optimus knew his role and the computer connection was ready for the download. Emily had offered her regrets about not being able to get back for the occasion but the Wisconsin site was keeping her very busy.  
'We're ready Ratchet, these repairs are perfect.' he grinned, straightening and admiring the silver plating so lovingly repaired.  
'Did you expect anything less?' Ratchet chuckled, pushing off the wall and activating the waiting transfer unit. 'Jazz, are you in position and ready for transfer?'  
"I'm ready Ratchet. Releasing final connections now." Jazz replied, appearing on screen for a few moments before winking out. Slowly he withdrew his last connections to the outside world, closing off his camera access and abandoning the PA system as he curled into a ball of data just waiting to be launched into his body.  
'Optimus, it's time.' Que called, poking his head out the door.  
'Very well Que.' Optimus nodded, glancing at Prowl for a moment before ducking into the repair bay.  
'Please Jazz, I'm waiting for you.' Prowl uttered, slumped back against the wall as he waited for his permission to enter.

Looking down at the body propped up on the repair berth; Optimus sighed softly and released the Matrix into his hand. Approaching the still body, he knelt and reached towards the open spark chamber, putting his total faith in what they were doing. Releasing his grip, he watched the Matrix drift forward and into Jazz's spark chamber, turning and settling into position.  
'Please Primus, please let us have Jazz back.' he uttered, shielding his optics as a bright flash filled the room. 'Please Primus, please.'  
'Come on, reignite. Please, don't give up on us Jazz. Come on Jazz, we need you.' Ratchet whispered, watching the monitors as another bright flash spread out. 'Come home Jazz, we miss you.'

Twitching and shuddering as the charges raced through long cold circuits and wiring, the empty body rocked and writhed in the bonds holding it securely to the tilted bench. With another great surge, the alerts started firing off, drawing focus back to the miracle happening in the middle of the room.  
'We have re-ignition. Commencing the download.' Ratchet called, opening the connection between the computer and the reawakening body. Watching the monitors carefully, he kept a sharp optic on the download progress as Que watched over the twitching body.

Tense with anticipation, the three witnesses watched and waited for the first signs of proper revival in the twitching body of Jazz. Breaking away from the new spark, the Matrix returned to Optimus' hand and he tucked it safely away before going back to watching the unfolding miracle. Visor flickering online, Jazz strained against the bonds holding him down before finally breaking free. Launching to his feet, he tackled Ratchet to the floor, screaming in their native language as he attacked the medic with gusto. Flipping the silver mech over, Ratchet pinned him to the floor and held him down, straining to subdue him as he went through the post battle rush.  
'Jazz! Snap out of it! Jazz!' he barked, giving him a shake and using his superior weight to hold Jazz despite his struggles. Calming down slowly, Jazz groaned and relaxed under Ratchet, tiny tremors working through him as he slumped against the floor.  
'Ratchet?' he uttered, testing the grip the medic had on his wrists.  
'Welcome back Jazz.' Ratchet grinned, easing his grip and sitting up on his haunches. 'Welcome back.'  
'For real? I'm back for real?' Jazz whispered, looking around slowly.  
'How about this for proof.' Ratchet suggested, helping Jazz to his feet. 'Que, go get our other special guest.'  
'You've got it Ratchet.' Que nodded, heading for the door. 'It's time.'

Suddenly nervous about seeing Jazz after all this time, Prowl pushed to his feet and followed Que into the repair bay. Stepping out from behind the inventor, he gazed at the silver mech now standing beside Ratchet, looking around and adjusting to the idea of being properly alive again after six years stuck in a computer. Pushing aside his fear and nerves, he cleared his intakes and smiled as Jazz turned to see what the noise was.  
'Prowl…I've missed ya.' he uttered, turning full on to his oldest and dearest friend.  
'Jazz, I've waited so long for this.' Prowl replied, closing the distance and placing one hand on Jazz's cheek.  
'Here is the reunion I promised ya, Prowl.' Jazz grinned, drawing the black mech into his arms and holding him close.  
'It's been a long time coming Jazz.' Prowl agreed, head on Jazz's shoulder as they reconnected happily.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Everyone was edge as they waited for Optimus to return from another little side mission. This one had nothing to do with hauling supplies to Wisconsin or helping with the moving, this one was a much more personal mission. He'd received two pings from incoming Autobots just before they hit the outer atmosphere. Selecting three of Emily's vehicles as potential alt modes for them, Optimus had left the base to retrieve the pair, promising that he wouldn't take too long to get them back to the base. That had been almost three hours ago and there had still been no word.

Then they all heard it, the unmistakeable deep rumble of Optimus' engine. Perking up and moving back to make space for their returning leader, the Autobots were all anxious to see who had finally arrived. Gathering at the railing, the mice were just as interested to see who else they were going to share their home with. Entering the large room and transforming, Optimus shuffled aside and settled against the wall, keeping the secret just a little bit longer. Rumbling through the doors, the first new arrival was a bulky one, having taken the form of Emily's old H1 Hummer but he'd been tinkering with the display, turning the black plates dark green but everything else rang true to the old beast of a machine.

Unfurling and stretching for a moment, the solidly built Autobot turned to the group, optics scanning the seated Autobots before lifting to gaze upon the mice for the first time. He'd never seen a race like them before, nothing in his substantial databanks could even compare to what he was witnessing on the walkway.  
'Hound? Is that really you?' Dino asked, pushing to his feet and approaching the bulky bot.  
'Raj? By Primus, I never thought I'd see you again.' Hound uttered, staring at the brilliant red mech. 'wow, you look good in red.'  
'Thanks, that's a darker green than usual but I like it.' Dino replied, practically jumping into Hound's embrace. 'I've missed you Hound, so much.' he added, face tucked into Hound's neck.  
'I've missed you too Raj. Thought I'd lost you.' Hound sighed, cradling Dino close as he found a clear spot against the wall and eased down. 'We have a lot of catching up to do.'  
'Soon, I want to see who else arrived. Then I'll show you to my hanger.'  
'Dino, I'll spend the night at Ratchet's, give you two a chance to reconnect.' Que called, settling back against the wall beside Ratchet.  
'Thanks Que.' Dino grinned, nuzzling back in against Hound's chest.

Next into the main hanger was another familiar vehicle, the old red and white paint replaced by teal green and light grey. This one was a little jerky with his transformation, the occasional piece catching for a moment before giving and moving into position. Creaking and groaning, he straightened and looked around, a little shocked by the mice but more interested in the Autobots.  
'You sound worse than a walking scrapheap Kup.' Ratchet remarked, boosting to his feet and wincing as his left knee grated for a moment. 'Don't say it Kup, I know I'm getting old.'  
'I wasn't going to say anything Ratchet. I do have one question…where's Ironhide?' Kup asked, looking around again and searching for those familiar features.

Instantly the room was cold, no one able to meet Kup's optics as they shuffled nervously, looking everywhere else but at the teal Autobot in the middle of the room.  
'Someone? Anyone? Where's Ironhide, he should be here. If Ratchet's here, Ironhide must be here.' he tried, desperate for answers.  
"I'm right here, old timer." Ironhide replied, flickering into sight on the central holoemitter. "It's not really life, it's not really home but it's all I've got. I gave my body for the Autobot cause, I owe my life to the brave Martian mice you see on the walkways and to a very special woman working to build us a new home." He explained, drawing Kup's attention to the crowded walkways.  
'Nice try Ironhide, I don't fool that easily.'  
"I'm not joking Kup, I'm just a ghost in the computer that runs this base. I've been in here for three months now, but I know it's not forever. I've got faith in Ratchet, I know he'll get me out of here."  
'We've made a start 'Hide. It's slow going but Que and I will get the job done.' Ratchet nodded, striding around to stand beside Kup.  
"This hasn't changed my responsibilities Kup, I still watch over our fellow Autobots and protect then from harm. Now though, I have a full defence grid at my command, extending my abilities beyond anything I thought possible. Remember Kup, if you ever need me, just call my name and I'll be there." Ironhide grinned, fading from view again. "I'll always be around."  
'Did that really just happen?' Kup asked, gazing at the spot where Ironhide had just been standing.  
'Come on Kup, I'll tell you the full story while I'm checking you over.' Ratchet sighed, guiding the older bot from the room.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Rolling up the ramp onto the warehouse roofline, Prowl pulled up beside Jazz and sighed, settling on his shocks and almost rubbing up against the silver Pontiac.  
"How's it feel to be back?" he asked, admiring the city as Jazz purred his engine.  
"The highlight of my life. Coming back online and holdin' ya in my arms, perfect."  
"All you've been through and you still have that great view on life I first fell in love with."  
"No way in hell I'm losin' that Prowl. So long as I've got you, I'll keep bouncing back."  
"Then I'd best stay right near you for a long time to come."  
"I'd like that Prowl. Ohh, turn this way."

Pulling off some very impressive close driving, the pair turned to face the west as the sunset over the city. Perched on the edge of the roof, the pair were pressed up close together, sharing a beautiful moment that had almost been stolen from them. Engines purring in tandem, the long separated lovers were totally content with their chance to be together and cherish another breathtaking memory in their long relationship.  
"Thanks for bein' there when I needed ya the most Prowl."  
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be, my sweet Jazz."  
"I knew that romantic side was still in there somewhere."  
"With you at my side, I'll never lose that little romantic part of my essence."

Falling quiet again, the happy pair relaxed and watched the sun sinking slowly from sight, the golden glow setting their armour aflame and turning them into something so pure as to be indescribable. For a few wondrous minutes, the world below ceased to exist, focusing down to just the reunited lovers and the sunset. Neither spoke, unwilling to break the spell of the sunset and the oncoming nightfall wrapping around them.  
"Reminds me of the first time we met." Jazz whispered, casting his sensors up towards the first stars of the night.  
"Different stars but still spectacular." Prowl agreed, turning most of his focus to Jazz.  
"I'm sorry Prowl."  
"What for? You have nothing to apologise for."  
"I left you behind. I swore I wouldn't do that but I did. I'm sorry."  
"I forgive you Jazz, I forgave you a long time ago. It hurt to know you were gone but when the bond didn't completely disappear, I had to keep believing. I never lost my faith that you would come back to my side."  
"As much as I don't want this moment to end, can we go back inside? I just wanna curl up somewhere with ya and recharge a while."  
"Whatever you want, my dearest Jazz." Prowl replied, backing away from the edge and turning for the ramp back down.  
"Missed this so much." Jazz sighed, following Prowl back into the base proper.

Rolling quietly through the base, the pair entered the empty hanger that Prowl had taken as his own and transformed, wandering back to where Prowl had piled up several tarpaulins and other material to form a kind of nest. Easing to the floor, Prowl nestled into the bedding and smiled as Jazz sunk down beside him, gratefully burrowing into the comfort and warmth offered so freely.  
'We'll renew our bond soon, I just don't have the energy right now.' he uttered, visor dimming as he cuddled closer.  
'Rest Jazz, you've got to regain your strength before we consider renewing our bond.' Prowl uttered, soothing his mate until he slid into recharge, still clinging to his mate. Watching over Jazz like he'd never thought he would again, Prowl was somewhat reluctant to recharge but he did eventually succumb, a warm smile on his faceplates as his helm rested against Jazz's comfortably.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Emptying another large bag of padding material in the corner of the hanger, Que shoved and shaped it into a suitable nest, packing the hard concrete and trying to create something that would protect him from any new scratches or dents. Bundling up the bag quickly, he tucked it into the pile and settled, the soft material moving and welcoming his bulk in semi-comfort. Lifting the bag up a little more, Que tucked it behind his helm, feeling a little better for the comfort. Relaxing into the padding and starting to cycle his systems down, he waited for Ratchet to get back, a courtesy that the medic had always appreciated.

Rolling into the hanger and transforming, Ratchet stretched for a moment before walking down to sit beside Wheeljack, leaning back against the concrete and steel wall.  
'Primus, I hope I never have to do anything like that again.' he uttered, gaze locked on the stained floor of his home. 'I've never seen Kup that close to breaking and it's not something I want to see again.'  
'You did tell him we're working as fast as we can to rebuild Ironhide, didn't you?' Que asked, sitting up and moving to settle beside Ratchet, one arm landing around his shoulders.  
'Of course I did, I even showed him the work we'd done so far. That just made it all the more real for him, he stood there staring at the body for a long time until I guided him away.'  
'He'll be okay Ratchet, Kup's a tough old glitch. He's faced losses before and always found a way to come back.'  
'I'm not so sure about that, not this time Wheeljack. Ironhide and Kup have always been close, closer than just friends. It's almost like they're split-spark brothers. When Ironhide and I started courting, Kup came to see me at the office and warned me in no uncertain terms what would happen if I ever broke Ironhide's spark.'  
'Are they split-spark brothers?'  
'No, Kup's older. I don't have a recent copy of his files and the way he was looking, I didn't feel right asking for a copy of the ones he should have.'  
'Give him time Ratchet, he'll come back to his best again.'  
'I hope so Jack, I really do.'

Hearing another engine approaching, Ratchet eased to his feet and sighed softly as Kup entered and transformed, still trying to accept what had happened.  
'I didn't know where else to turn.' he uttered, totally lost now that he couldn't escape the reality of Ironhide's passing.  
'It's alright Kup, you don't have to explain.' Ratchet soothed, guiding Kup over to the second pile of material in the room. 'You just settle back and get some recharge.'  
'How can you even think of recharge at a time like this?' Kup sighed but he did at least ease down onto the pile of stuff.  
'I recharge peacefully under Ironhide's watch. Tomorrow I'll get up and get back to work, fresh and ready for another day of building a full-sized sparkling body.' Ratchet shrugged, crouching beside Kup.  
'I'll try Ratchet, it's just hard to accept he's not here.' Kup offered, adjusting the padding material and trying to get settled.  
'I know Kup, it'll be okay though. Ironhide will rise again, I promise.' Ratchet nodded, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Kup's shoulder. 'You're not the only one holding out for his revival.'  
'I always knew you'd be the one to make an honest 'Bot out of Ironhide. Of all the guys it could have been, I'm glad it was you.' Kup uttered, shuffling around again and dropping his head on Ratchet's thigh.  
'I'm so grateful Ironhide chose me, each and every day is perfect. I still don't understand why me, but I'm no fool. I'm not questioning his decision.' Ratchet agreed, draping one arm over Kup's shoulders.  
'Smart move. Ironhide always followed his own rules.' Kup nodded, starting to ease towards recharge.

Racing into the hanger, Blade looked around for a moment and went to sprint out again before he spotted Kup on the ground, head in Ratchet's lap.  
'Ratchet, is Kup down and out yet?' he asked, skidding on the grating and catching one of the support poles before he fell.  
'Pretty damn close to it Blade. What's the situation?' Ratchet asked, turning his gaze to the young leader above.  
'The Wreckers are causing trouble. Something's got them excited. Optimus is in there at the moment but no dice. Those three are bouncing off the bloody walls. Wheelie is prepping the powerdrive to knock them out.' Blade briefed, reverting to his old style of giving reports without thinking.  
'Wreckers respect Wreckers. I'll snap them into line.' Kup added, lifting his head and working on getting to his feet.  
'You're in no shape to be tussling with those three Kup.' Ratchet tried, not sure he wanted Kup anywhere near those three.  
'Don't need to tussle, they'll know me and respond appropriately.' Kup replied, offering his hand up to Blade. 'Show me where, I'll handle them.' he added, setting Blade on the floor and transforming.  
'Nice to know we've finally got someone who can handle them, those three are trying everyone's nerves.' Blade grinned, climbing in and settling quickly. 'Straight out this door and down the primary corridor.'  
'Got it.'

Tires screeching as he charged towards the hanger where the Wreckers were housed, Kup shot past Bumblebee and opened his door, Blade taking the hint and jumping out and into the safe hands of the yellow scout. Door slamming closed again, Kup raced into the hanger and transformed, the movement a lot smoother after his check-up. Landing heavily in a crouch, he watched the three mechs wrestling around like sparklings.  
'Wreckers! Fall in for duty!' he barked, pushing to his full height and staring at the trio. With that, the three on the floor stopped their game and got to their feet. Hustling past Optimus, the trio formed up in front of Kup, Roadbuster flanked by his taller brothers.  
'Leadfoot, reporting for duty.'  
'Roadbuster, ready to roll.'  
'Topspin, prepped for battle.'  
'That's better. I am not going to ask why three of my best Wreckers are messing around like sparklings. Suffice to say, I'm very disappointed in all of you. Now, you three are going to clean this mess up.' Kup instructed, looking around at all the mess everywhere. 'Snap to it!'  
'Yes Kup.' they replied, quickly dividing up the room and getting busy.

Waving Optimus back out of the way, Kup leant back against the wall and watched the cleanup duties, smiling faintly as the loudmouthed trio got seriously busy. Shaking his head in wonder, Optimus walked over to crouch beside Kup, amazed by the sudden change in the Wreckers.  
'Guess you should be grateful I finally caught up with you.' Kup remarked, nodding slowly as Topspin gathered up all the loose bits of bedding material and piled them in one corner.  
'I'm grateful for all Autobots that make it to Earth. But to have someone that can control those three, is truly a relief.'  
'It's a Wrecker thing Optimus, they might look like an undisciplined rabble but when the officer in charge starts barking orders, they'll snap to respond. Now that I'm here, things will be different.' Kup promised, feeling a slight surge of pride as the room was straightened up and tidied up to a suitable level.  
'Things are already different. They're obedient, responsive and calm, everything they haven't been since arriving here.'  
'I'll keep them under control, don't worry. I trained these three, they respect me more than they'll ever respect you. No offence intended Optimus.'  
'None taken Kup, they'll pitch in but it's not easy controlling them.'

Looking around quickly and evaluating their cleanup, the trio returned to the middle of the room and waited for Kup's judgement on their home. Pushing off the wall, Kup approached the trio then turned away, scanning the room and judging the conditions of their accommodations. Three piles of the bedding had been rearranged in a row, tucked under tarpaulins to keep everything neat. The rest of their belongings were lined up on some heavy duty shelving and ready for action when they were next called to action. In another corner, a pile of parts were lined up neatly, several cases sitting next to them. The rest of the room was empty and clean, floors swept and the debris placed in the bin in another corner.  
'Much better. But you forgot one little detail. Wreckers stay together.' Kup nodded, proud of the way they'd pulled together when it counted. 'Who is going to fix that little oversight?'  
'I will Kup.' Topspin replied, ducking out the side door and retrieving two large bags and two canvas rolls.

Ducking back into the hanger, he emptied the first bag and shaped it into a suitable pile near the first three. Delving into the second bag, he added more padding to the bed and tested it then went back to bulking it out more until he was satisfied. Scooping up one of the canvas rolls and unrolling it, he tucked it over the pile of fabric and encased it all neatly, making a suitable bed. Bundling up the two bags, he stuffed them under the cover quickly, forming them into a raised area to increase comfort. Unrolling the second canvas roll, he flicked it out over the mattress and half tucked it in before folding the free side back, keeping it neat as he created a welcoming place for the aged warrior to rest. Pushing back to his feet, he turned and moved aside for Kup to examine his bedding.

Nudging the encased pile with one foot, Kup nodded and reached out to rest his left hand on Topspin's shoulder tenderly. Practically glowing with the implied friendship, Topspin straightened up a little more and locked optics with his senior, waiting for something to break the tension filling the room. Smiling softly, Kup nodded faintly and dropped his hand, the praise silent but no less meaningful. Nodding slowly, Topspin returned to his brothers, relieved he'd made Kup proud after their previous mistakes.  
'All right you three, it's late and we're all tired. Go clean up and get ready for the night cycle, you've disturbed the base enough for one night.' Kup instructed, removing his weapons from his back and placing them on an empty shelf.  
'Yes Kup.' they replied, ducking out another large door.  
'You'll be okay to take care of them Kup? It's a lot to ask when you've just arrived.'  
'I'll be fine Optimus, I've known these three a long time. I can handle them, you head off and get some recharge.' Kup nodded, listening to the splashing of cleanser as the trio got ready for recharge.  
'See you in the morning, old friend.'  
'Recharge well Optimus.' Kup grinned, watching the young leader transform and roll out of the hanger, hopefully to his own quarters.

Placing a few other assorted belongings on the shelf he'd taken as his own, Kup looked around the quiet hanger and settled on his bed, gazing thoughtfully at the three empty places beside him. There was another reason he was so good with these three, a reason that no one outside their little group knew. So long ago, back when they were just out of their youngling stages, Kup had found them abandoned as their creators fled from the violence. Never one to abandon the needy, Kup had taken them all in and raised them, instilling in them his own sensibilities and beliefs. Many of his fellow Autobots had said he was crazy to try and raise three youngsters in the middle of a war but he'd stuck it out and done everything he could to raise them right. That was so long ago now that everyone had pretty much forgotten about those times, everyone except the four most directly involved. Now Kup intended to bridge the gap between them, bringing his charges back close.

Filing back into their temporary home and switching off the lights, the three younger mechs settled on their bedding piles, Roadbuster in the middle, Topspin to the right and Leadfoot at the left. Tugging the loose tarpaulins over their backs, the trio rolled and looked at Kup, optics bright with excitement at the reunion.  
'Will you tell us a story Kup?' Leadfoot asked, head pillowed on his arms.  
'Not tonight, it's been a long and tiring day. Tomorrow night, we'll see.'  
'We won't disappoint you again Kup.' Roadbuster promised, snuggling down and getting comfortable.  
'I know you won't, you've always strived to make me proud of all of you.'  
'Tomorrow we'll dig out the recordings of the Chicago battle, so you can see how far we've come.' Topspin added, adjusting his blanket and settling down.  
'I'd like that, my scraplets. Hush now, it's time to recharge. I'm not going anywhere.' Kup soothed, reaching out to rub each helm with his left hand, the affection coming back easily. 'Relax and recharge, tomorrow is another busy day.'  
'Restful night Kup.'  
'Night Kup.'  
'Sleep well Kup.'  
'Recharge in peace, my three Wreckers.' Kup uttered, easing back into the soft bedding and pulling his canvas blanket up before drifting into recharge, systems in harmony with his charges.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Snuggled up in their rebuilt nest, Hound and Dino were totally content with their lives at the moment. Hound was settled on his back, Dino stretched out on his chest like he'd always been there. As far as Hound was concerned, he'd always belonged there but they never had enough time to just sit and be together with nothing getting in the way. They needed no words, words were a burden when love was this perfect. Snuggling closer, Dino rested his head over Hound's spark and smiled, luxuriating in the contact with his mate after so long separated. Draping one arm over Dino's back, Hound just held him there, relishing the full body pressure after so long alone.

Lifting his head again, Dino sighed and stroked Hound's cheek, relishing their reunion and hoping they would never be parted again. Reading the worries in Dino's optics, Hound smiled softly and drew his mate back in tight, rubbing his back lightly.  
'It's not gonna happen Raj, we won't be separated again. I promised you eternity and that's what you'll get.'  
'I know Hound, but this war is so unpredictable. Megatron might be dead but how knows what the future will bring.'  
'Stop worrying, I ain't leaving. We'll get through this, everything will be okay.'  
'Don't let me go Hound.'  
'Never. I'll always be right here to hold you.'  
'I love you Hound, never forget that.'  
'I love you too Mirage. I gotta ask though, Dino?'  
'Before we moved into this facility, we were living with a different group of humans. They didn't like the name Mirage, said it sounded weak so everyone suggested a new name, a vote taken and I got Dino. Apparently he was the son of the Ferrari creator, and I chose a Ferrari for an alt mode so I guess it works. Now though, I can go back to Mirage and no one will argue.'  
'You'll always be my Raj.'

Folding his blades as far out of the way as he could, Mirage settled close again and relaxed, systems cycling down into recharge mode as he held his precious mate close. Cradling Mirage close to his chest, Hound joined him in recharge, cherishing and protecting his mate through the night.


	9. Final Preparations

Nine months since the Chicago battle and everything was falling into place perfectly. Emily had contacted the main base and the transfers were going well, everything following the grand plan Emily had written out when the idea was first solidified. Now the Wisconsin base was actually a base, the homes and workshops all fitted out and the shared area up the back was taking shape to welcome everyone home.

Some of the projects still boggled her mind but they had been achieved. The plumbing in the Autobot accommodation was one of these mind-boggling projects, the sheer size of the pieces had shocked everyone but they pulled together and got it done, working as one to connect and secure the biggest shower setups anyone had ever seen. Contacting Optimus again, Emily had given him a very special mission, one that took him far from the Chicago camp but also kept him quite busy for a few weeks. He was responsible for collecting the soft materials from four factories in various cities and bringing it all to Wisconsin. Some of the loads were more problematic than others but he got stuck in and worked hard, going so far as to pull his first road train across the country.

Every night he spent in Wisconsin, he got his just rewards for the hard work he was putting in for the team. Finding a suitable place on the grounds, he'd settle and relax as Emily scrubbed his plating and polished him to perfection before welcoming him into the shed beside her home for the night. There he was warm and protected, safe from prying eyes, the military and the weather. Emily would stay with him all night, curled up in the cab and sleeping peacefully as she dreamed of the paradise they were building. The grand dreams were taking shape; every little detail checked and rechecked to make sure things were perfect. The few days Optimus didn't have to take to the highways, he'd help out around the base, testing the road network inside the walls and making sure everything had a flow.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Tossing tools back and forth, Que and Ratchet were still hard at work on their major project, despite the chaos around them. While the rest of the base had been stripped back to bare concrete and steel, this hanger was still a hive of activity as everything started slotting into place. Piece by piece, ticking off each objective as they reached it, the repair team were getting close to finishing Ironhide's new body. Armour, wiring, cabling and piping, everything was coming together and the full sized body was emerging from the pile of parts around the table.

The full Mechanic team was also busy, worming into the head and soldering in the delicate components they'd been tasked with wiring up. CPU, mainframe, memory cores and wireless links, they swarmed through their tasks with a single-minded determination. Here Windvest was in his element, guiding his bros through the connections and double checking their work.  
'Gotta say Ratchet, I thought it was going to take a long longer to get to this stage.' Goggles remarked, crawling into the torso to soldier the many connections to another board.  
'Using these reclaimed parts has certainly sped up the process. It would have taken years if we'd had to make everything from scratch.' Ratchet replied, cutting through another set of tension cables and checking the arm was working properly.  
'And we have Windvest to thank for the idea. You're a hero bro.' Odd Ball agreed, feeding another set of wires through to Goggles.  
'Aw hell, I didn't do anything really.' Windvest replied, blushing under his fur.  
'Apart from make a CMO feel like a right fragging glitch. You found the answer when I couldn't see it Windvest, thank you.' Ratchet grinned, securing the first group of tension cables and preparing another set for installation.  
'It takes many minds to build a body like this; we've all done our bit to help restore Ironhide.' Que suggested, busting open one of the armour moulds and lifting out the finished helm. Brushing off the dust, he set it down on a second workbench and leant over it, getting it ready for installation.

Rumbling into the repair bay, Center Line pulled up well out of the way and jumped down, looking up at the massive vehicle he'd just picked up from a dealership in Detroit. No one had asked any questions when he got there, they were being paid too much to pry into the details of the transaction. They just gave him the paperwork to sign, accepted the check, handed over the keys then let him leave with the goods. The drive back was fun, the other drivers on the road stared at the mighty truck rumbling past them with a dazzling motorbike in the back. Now that he was home, he'd returned Flash Point to the garage and made the journey to the repair bay, their newest vehicle waiting for selection.  
'It's not perfect but it's the only one they had. I can organise a repaint team if you'd like.' he called, shutting door and twirling the keys around his finger.  
'No, leave the dark blue. I think he'll like it.' Ratchet replied, admiring the brand new Topkick waiting for Ironhide.  
'I hope so, these things aren't easy to find. Whatever happens, don't let anyone damage this machine; Emily wants it well cared for.' Center Line nodded, pocketing the keys and climbing up to the walkways.  
'We've got it covered Center Line, stop fussing.' Wheelie sighed, moving back for Windvest to check his latest work.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Resting his weight on the old steel and leather braces he'd had since before they left Mars, Falcon finally emerged from medbay, still aching and somewhat fragile but alive and mobile and that's what really counted as far as he was concerned. Face lighting up when Decal raced towards him, the biggest Martian for many generations leant back against the wall and caught Decal when the smaller mouse leapt into his embrace, just glad to see his precious lover back on his feet after so long laid up in medbay.  
'I can't stay for long babe, there's still a lot of work to be done if we're going to be ready to ship out on time.' Decal uttered, arms wrapped around Falcon's neck.  
'I know, Shard gave me the brief. I'll probably just go check on Armageddon, catch up with Dino and Que and then go sit in my office and get to work on the security system Emily wants.' Falcon replied, his left arm easily holding Decal's weight.  
'I wouldn't bother Que at the moment, he's still flat out on the Ironhide rebuild. They're determined to have him fixed before we leave Chicago.'  
'How's that going?'  
'Signs are good that he'll be restored in time for the move. Ratchet's adamant that Ironhide leaves this base in better shape than he arrived. Wheelie reckons another week to finish putting together all the prefabricated components into a fully functional body. They're not focusing on weapons or anything yet, they just want a working body for Ironhide.'  
'Ironhide will soon have his new weaponry sorted, you know what he's like.'  
'So true babe. Most of the base has already been cleared out, supplies are moving in convoys out to the secondary location and then on to Wisconsin. There's just this primary area here left in use.'  
'Never thought we'd see the day when we left Chicago. Go on babe, I'll catch up with you later.' Falcon grinned, snatching a quick kiss before putting Decal down and watching him race away, one hand on his headset.

Turning down one of the many corridors of the base, Falcon entered the garage and whistled, face lighting up as Armageddon snapped to full alert and pulled out of line, engine purring in excitement. Gaze sweeping over her, Falcon chuckled as she raced to his side, skidding on the concrete as she circled him happily.  
'I missed you too Armageddon. You're looking good, considering the damage we both took.' he offered, rubbing her side lightly when she finally stopped beside him. 'Wheelie took good care of ya, didn't he?' he added, admiring his powerful bike in all her glory. Whistle-trilling an answer, Armageddon scanned Falcon carefully, checking his injuries were healing properly before rev-chittering another question. Thinking for a moment, Falcon nodded and eased onto the saddle, sitting sideways so he didn't have to try and swing his brace over. Rumbling contentedly, Armageddon turned and left the garage slowly, not wanting to jar Falcon around as they headed through the base.

Dodging busy mice and Autobots as she moved, Armageddon took Falcon to one of the hangers that had once housed shipping containers of weaponry. Now most of the containers were gone, making the place seem so much bigger than ever before. Stopping just inside the door, Armageddon trilled to Falcon and eased her engine back to idle, waiting for something.  
'Why'd you bring me down here Armageddon? I know we're moving out.' Falcon asked, looking around then jumping as one of the loaded trailers moved. Trill-clicking an answer, Armageddon rolled forward a little and waited for something to happen. Catching a glimpse of red plating, Falcon chuckled, finally understanding why he was down here. 'Dino!'  
'Si?' Dino replied, looking up from where he was working on moving trailers. 'Falcon! I've been worried about you.' he greeted, disappearing from sight for a moment before walking out from behind another trailer.  
'Eh, takes more than that to kill me Dino. I'm still on the road to recovery but I'll be okay.' Falcon grinned, sliding from Armageddon's back and rubbing her tank lightly. 'I saw the footage of the battle, thanks for saving my life.' he added, limping over to settle in Dino's offered hand.  
'After what you did for us, it was the only thing I could do. Decal informed me of the debt now owed…I still think it is unnecessary but I accepted it.'  
'The day will come Dino when the debt will be repaid. Neither of us can know when, it will just happen.' Falcon replied, totally content to relax in the powerful red hands cradling him so tenderly.  
'There's someone I'd like you to meet. Hound, come on out.'  
'Coming Raj.'  
'Raj?' Falcon asked, looking up at his friend and saviour.  
'My true designation is Mirage, the humans back at N.E.S.T suggested the change and Optimus quietly requested I go along with it. Hound shortened it to Raj a long time ago, back when we first started courting.'  
'Courting? As in dating?'  
'Si, the rituals are similar. Our courting is a little more complicated but the ideas are the same. A successful courtship ends in spark-bonding, a very personal and powerful experience.'  
'Sounds like a Martian unity ritual. That constant feeling of your loved one right there in your head all the time, I've got one of my own. Got a lot of strange looks when we strode onto the podium to make our vows but I wouldn't have changed anything. Decal's my perfect match and I'm his.'  
'Now that sounds familiar.' a deeper voice rumbled, bringing Falcon's attention back to the hanger.

Eyeing this new arrival critically, Falcon took in his dark green armour and the rearranged bars over his shoulders, searching out weapons and evaluating the new arrival as he'd been trained to do. Hound was giving him a once over in return, the unmistakeable sensation of scanners putting Falcon even more on edge. Crushing down on that sensation, Falcon let his gaze drift back up before he nodded slowly, accepting Hound as a non-threat.  
'I'm Falcon, Security Section Head for SAU 14. I'm not exactly my dangerous best but I'm getting there. Still healing up after the Chicago battle.' Falcon offered, offering out his left hand.  
'Hound, Autobot Scout. Raj told me about the Chicago battle, you guys took a real pounding. I also heard you saved a few lives with your heroic actions.' Hound replied, placing one finger in Falcon's grasp and shaking hands.  
'I'd do it again to protect my friends. We're not that different really, we're all refugees, unable to get back to our homeworlds. Be that homeworld destroyed or just unwelcoming, we're all stuck together.' Falcon grinned, looking up at Mirage and nodding. 'Whenever one needs help, another is sure to be there. We saved five Autobots from execution but I only needed one to save my life. I owe Mirage more than I can ever repay.' he sighed, true respect and admiration in his eyes.  
'Pay it forward Falcon, pay it forward.' Mirage replied, very carefully handing Falcon over to Hound. 'I can't ask for more than that.'  
'As you request Mirage.' Falcon nodded, whistling for his bike. 'I'd love to stay and catch up on all the latest news guys but there's a security system that desperately needs my attention.' he added, regretting that duty was tearing him away from his friends.  
'Of course Falcon. Everyone is so busy preparing for the move.' Hound nodded, easing Falcon down beside his bike. 'I would like to sit and talk with you some more later, there is so much I'd like to know about your race.'  
'I'll make time for you Hound, every day until all your questions are answered.' Falcon promised, easing onto Armageddon's back and getting comfortable. 'Come on Armageddon, to work.'  
'Sentient bikes?' Hound asked, watching Falcon and Armageddon leave the hanger.  
'Just one of the many wonders of the Martian race.' Mirage replied, getting back to work hauling trailers around for a quick pickup.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Stuck in his office collating data, Blade groaned as little Wheelie rolled in with another pile of inventory lists in his tray. Leaning over to collect the pages, he added them to the stack waiting for him to catch up. Picking up the one he'd been working on, he got back to it, ignoring Wheelie as the little Autobot climbed onto the desk and looked at what he was doing.  
'Do you need some help Blade?' he asked, pinging Brains and asking him to come to Blade's office.  
'I wouldn't turn it down Wheelie. Everything being shipped out of the base has to be checked off on the grand inventory. This thing has thousands of entries, everything from dry ration packs to missiles and bombs.' Blade groaned, looking at the pile of inventory lists in his inbox.  
'Brains will be here in a minute, he'll be able to help you out. I'd stay and help too but someone's got to bring down the inventory reports.' Wheelie offered, responding to a ping from Slash and jumping off the table. 'Chin up Blade, Brains will take care of everything for ya.'  
'Thanks, you little glitch. Get out of here, before I throw ya out.' Blade growled, not really meaning it but Wheelie got the message and left.

Dropping out of the passive vent in Blade's office, Brains landed safely in Blade's arms, the hulking officer as gentle as anyone when it came to the smallest Autobot.  
'Wheelie mentioned you need some help with something.' he remarked, looking up at the worn leader.  
'Yeah, keeping up with the inventories. Every load leaving the base is carefully inventoried so we know what is in each container. Copies of all those inventories are being sent here to be checked off against the grand inventory so we can be absolutely certain that nothing is left behind. Sixteen inventories twice a day, I just can't keep up.' Blade explained, settling Brains on the desk and indicating the pile of inventories that needed to be checked off.  
'I can handle this Blade, so long as the wireless link on this computer is working.' Brains nodded, picking up the first inventory even as he wirelessly connected with the desktop. 'Leave it with me, I'll get through this backlog.'  
'Thanks Brains. I'll be back in a minute, just gonna go get a coffee.' Blade replied, leaving Brains to his work and striding from the office towards the rec room.

By the time he got back with his coffee, Brains had gotten through about two-thirds of the inventories and was still going strong. Dropping another page onto the chair, he dragged the next one off the pile and started scanning it, holding the page stretched out in both hands. Putting his coffee mug down and picking up the stack on his chair, Blade settled and watched the screen, astounded by how fast the massive document was scrolling up and down. There was no way he could keep up, the grand inventory list was a blur to his eyes as Brains worked on the pile. Instead he turned his focus to the second half of the job, signing off on each page and organising them for filing.

Without really thinking about it, they fell into a rhythm as they worked. Brains would input the data then place the page neatly on the keyboard, face up. Blade would then take the page, the natural action of his wrist turning the page so the signature square was right under his right hand. Signing off with a flourish, he'd flip the page over and add it to the growing pile on his left. The movement felt so natural, everything flowed with an efficiency that Blade hadn't enjoyed in quite a while.  
'I'm not surprised you were having trouble with this inventory, Blade. Took me a few moments to figure it out.' Brains remarked, sliding another sheet off the pile and flicking it out.  
'I didn't create the file, it's Emily's, I'm just borrowing access to it for the job.' Blade replied, looking up from the page in front of him. 'Not trying to sound accusing or anything.'  
'I understand, there's always a worry when you're using files that aren't yours.' Brains agreed, continuing to upload data as he spoke.  
'Especially when the owner is Emily. Word from the wise, don't cross that woman, she's got a mean streak a mile wide.' Blade nodded, working the ache out of his hand and picking up his pen again.  
'She never struck me as a mean person but I haven't known her as long as you. The time I have spent with her, she's seemed like a nice human, compared to the few I've known.'  
'Trust me, Emily can be a right bitch when the situation arrises. Every mouse here has learned that the hard way, in the sparring ring.'  
'And I thought she was so kind. Before she left, she gave Wheelie and I access to her suite to spend the nights in safety.'  
'You haven't done anything to upset her, of course she'll be supportive and tender. Trust me though, when she's annoyed, no one is safe from her anger.'  
'I'll remember that Blade.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Hearts in their throats as they carried the small isolation chamber back to medbay, the mechanics were all anxious to see their hard work paying off at long last. Ratchet and Wheeljack were just running their last tests, making sure the body was up to scratch and running as one harmonious unit instead of so many smaller pieces put together. Months of sculpting parts, building the skeleton, wiring up systems, running piping and testing the structures came down to this final moment. Now they would see if all their combined knowledge was enough to bring back another fallen warrior to their ranks. This was a totally different challenge to rebuilding Jazz, at least they'd had a body to start from there. Here they had nothing but a determination to restore Ironhide and a pile of salvaged parts.

Entering the repair bay, they made their way down to where the waiting cradle was hanging and eased the isolation chamber onto the railing, Odd Ball and Goggles holding it steady as Wheelie and Windvest secured their safety harnesses and swung over the railing to connect the cradle to the chamber. Ever so gentle, they hooked up the wide webbing straps and secured the vital spark, double-checking all their connections to be certain everything went to plan. Ratchet and Wheeljack were still busy on their final checks, running charges through the body and watching the way it reacted.  
'We're about done up here.' Wheelie called, visually checking all the locks were secured.  
'Last checks completed. Ready when you are Wheelie.' Ratchet replied, disconnecting the testing equipment and putting it away. Securing the last pieces of the harness, Wheelie and Windvest hopped the railing again and grabbed the ropes attached to the harness, playing them out as they moved. Hustling around the walkways and trailing out the ropes, the mechanics took up new positions on the walkways and eased the isolation chamber out into the room, releasing and pulling on the ropes to swing it smoothly into place over the silent body.

Tying off the centralising ropes, they grabbed the second set of ropes already in place and eased the spark down. Hand over hand, careful not to jolt the chamber as they eased it into position. Constantly adjusting the ropes on all sides, they eased the chamber down into the uplink cradle. Securing all their ropes, the mechanics waited patiently for the next stage and hoped they had the calculations correct. One mistake and they'd lose Ironhide for good.  
'Okay, here we go. Commencing download and opening the hatch.' Ratchet called, opening the floodgates for the surges coming from the computers and the isolation chamber.

Watching, hoping and praying, the repair team could do nothing to help now, it was all in the hands of fate. They had no promises of Ironhide's return, everything was a gamble but that wasn't going to put them off. Sometimes hope was all that was needed. Gazing at the still body that would become his mate, Ratchet sighed and felt his spark pulse, calling to Ironhide. Ironhide responded, a dazzling blue flash filling the room. Nodding slowly, Ratchet sent out another pulse and waited, optics dimming as Ironhide responded again. Slowly but surely, the transfer was happening. The spark was drifting down the connections, leaving behind the isolation chamber and moving into a new life. Smile widening, Ratchet felt hope bloom inside, a third pulse enfolding him in the light of his mate. Back and forth the pulses went, separated mates calling for each other and finding new strength.

Seeing something in the pulses that no one else did, Ratchet picked his moment and disconnected the cradles, flicking the connection cradle across the Wheeljack as the mice dragged the empty containment chamber out of the way. Reaching out tenderly, Ratchet placed one hand over Ironhide's restored spark, watching the download progress and opening the connections more to speed the process. Confidence restored now, Ratchet had no fear about losing Ironhide, he knew the stubborn one would rise again and enfold him in strong arms. Despite the risks of doing so, Ratchet released the heavy steel-lined padded straps holding Ironhide down, wanting his mate to be free to sort out his post-battle problems. He wasn't afraid, he knew Ironhide would never harm him, no matter what was going on in his processors.

Optics coming on line, Ironhide struggled for a moment until they focused on the body leaning over him. Recognising his mate, Ironhide reached up to touch his faceplates, instincts guiding him more than anything now. Nodding slowly, Ratchet placed his hand over Ironhide's, cherishing the simple touch he thought he'd lost.  
'It's okay Ironhide, you're safe now. Just relax, everything's okay. I'm here, I'll never leave you.' Ratchet uttered, responding to Ironhide's confusion and concern. 'I'll take care of you, just relax. Shhh, save your strength.' he soothed, so tender with his mate as he came back from death.

Click-trilling a response, Ironhide relaxed under Ratchet, re-glassed optics dimming a little as he calmed and focused on his mate. Free hand rising from the berth, Ironhide let his fingers drift over Ratchet's arm, reaffirming their bond with a simple touch. Whistle-purring softly, Ratchet moved closer and reached out to trace over Ironhide's helm, soothing and comforting the jittery warrior. He'd expected this, Ironhide had gone through a lot and their spark-bond was very weak. He was still adapting to a physical body again and the weight, although familiar was unnerving after nine months of weightlessness and drifting. Ironhide had once confided in the medic that his biggest fear was the isolation of near death, the agonising separation from his mate when death wouldn't come but he wasn't truly alive either. Ratchet had taken that knowledge and stored it safely, knowing that one day Ironhide would have to face his fears and would need his loving mate there to see him through it.

Giving off an almost cooing note, Ironhide lowered one hand and slowly eased into a seated position, Ratchet chittering a warning before helping him sit up. Clicking softly, Ironhide just sat there, leaning against Ratchet's chest and looking around slowly as he adjusted and examined his new body. Trill-clicking soothingly as he stood there supporting Ironhide, Ratchet lightly caressed plating and hummed quietly, a solid presence for his mate as he produced a glowing cube from his subspace pocket. Purring quietly, Ironhide accepted the cube and drank, the first fresh fuel into his new systems revitalising the hidden components and bring new strength to his body. Draining the cube and watching it vanish from his hand, Ironhide settled back against Ratchet and rumbled softly, optics dimming in contentment.

Not wanting to disturb the beautiful scene in front of them, Wheeljack eased off the wall and waved the mice over, reaching up to welcome them into his hands.  
'We should leave, they'll be at this for a while. This is personal, we shouldn't be here.' he uttered, gathering the four against his chest and ducking into the parts hanger.  
'What was that?' Windvest asked, glancing back towards the reunited pair.  
'A very painful reunion. Ironhide's scared, although he's trying to hide it. For once Ratchet has to be the strong one, supporting and calming his worried mate.'  
'I can only assume they were speaking in your native language.' Goggles mused, catching another little trilling sound.  
'It's nothing against you guys but in a protoforms stage like that, our language is the easiest to handle. Once he's ready and taken his new alt mode, he'll be back to normal.'  
'I've never seen Ratchet so tender, he's a different guy around Ironhide.' Odd Ball remarked, leaning back against Wheeljack's chest.  
'When you've been in love for as long as those two, losing contact is agonising. Ironhide's still very sensitive, his plating hasn't yet adjusted to new life. Be patient, everything will settle down once Ironhide's adjusted and ready.'  
'So the best thing to do now is just leave them be and continue with our usual duties.' Wheelie nodded, looking at the piles of parts still waiting to be loaded and prepared for transport.  
'Exactly. We might as well focus on organising the rest of these parts for transport.' Wheeljack grinned, setting the quartet on the floor and moving over to half-shut the door separating the parts bay from the repair bay.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Returning to Chicago after weeks on the road, Optimus was all too happy to back his current trailer into the loading bay and leave it there before heading deeper into the base to unfurl and relax for a couple of days. Heading straight for the main room where everyone tended to gather, Optimus gratefully transformed and stretched out on the floor with a groan, so glad to be back in a secure facility where he could actually relax. Emily had been adamant that he not give away his identity to the contractors, just in case they blabbed and it got back to the military.

Hearing the groan, Falcon emerged from his office and hobbled onto the walkways, looking down for the source. He smiled when he found it, glad to see Optimus was back with them and a cursory look showed him to be in good condition. Shifting a little on the floor, Optimus slowly lifted his head and looked up at Falcon, mildly surprised to see the hulking mouse standing there.  
'Rest Optimus, you've had a busy few months. Everyone is safe, we've got the watch.' Falcon soothed, leaning lightly on the railing and smiling softly at the great leader. 'Shhh, put your head down and rest.'  
'Thank you Falcon.' Optimus muttered, settling his head on his folded arms and easing into recharge.  
'Bros watch out for bros.' Falcon replied, heading back into his office and putting out a message over the comms.

Hearing the message, Wheeljack sent a ping to Ratchet and squeezed out the side door, heading to check on their leader. He got a return ping from Ratchet and nodded, ducking low to slip into the main area where they spent their evenings, talking and laughing. Careful not to disturb their recharging leader, Wheeljack ran a cursory scan to check for problems but found absolutely nothing. For having been away from the base for the last four months, he was in very good condition, systems running normally and his armour polished to a loving shine. Even a few of the niggling problems he'd endured were repaired, something that would undoubtedly make Ratchet happy. Saving the results of the scans, Wheeljack debated running a deeper scan but one look at his leaders' relaxed features told him not to bother, just in case he woke Optimus. Instead he settled back against the wall and relaxed, keeping a quiet vigil over the sleeping Prime.

Silencing a warning on the screen, Falcon left his desk and limped back onto the walkways, eyes instantly falling on Que's frame, settled comfortably back against the wall.  
'Falcon, I didn't know you were out of medbay.' Que grinned, looking up at the giant mouse.  
'Just got out today. I was going to go find you but Mirage said you were busy.'  
'Yeah, these last few months have been chaotic to say the least. On the up side, Ironhide's back. Ratchet's easing him through the first stages, give him a few days to stabilise and he'll be up for visitors.'  
'Well, this is a good day. The last mice are cleared from medbay, Jazz is up and about, Ironhide's on the road to recovery and we've got a few new faces in the team. I had the privilege of meeting Hound earlier.'  
'He's just one of the new arrivals. I think you met Prowl briefly during the fighting. Sunstreaker made his appearance just after the fighting ended, he's Sideswipe's brother. Hound arrived a few months back, settled right in with Mirage, as I'm sure you probably noticed. Kup joined us the same day, he's taken charge of the Wreckers and the difference is huge.'  
'Yeah, I remember Prowl. He was there when I made that jump at Soundwave.'  
'Speaking of that, I never got the chance to say thank you. You saved my life, at the risk of your own. Thank you Falcon, thank you so much. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to repay the debt.'  
'Pay it forward Que, it's that simple. Ratchet saved my life and told me the same thing. Now my debt is repaid to Ratchet and I'm giving you the same guidance. Pay it forward. Within this team, any life saved repays a debt, the who or how doesn't matter.'  
'I'll remember that Falcon.'  
'As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I've got to get this security system finished for the Wisconsin base. Emily wants it ready in four weeks and it's going to be tough to get it done. This is the most complex system I've ever had to write, but I'll get it. Decal's going to be annoyed because I won't get to spend much time with him until it's complete.'  
'Need some help?'  
'No thanks Que, it's not that I don't trust your abilities or anything, it's just that security is my game. Emily requested that only two people know the emergency codes, I can't let anyone else help with the system.'  
'I understand Falcon. I do have one thing to ask of you though.'  
'Name it Que, then I really have to get back to work.'  
'Call me Wheeljack, the N.E.S.T guys requested the change to Que.'  
'You've got it Wheeljack. Take care of Optimus, he needs the rest.'  
'I will Falcon.' Wheeljack promised, settling back against the wall as Falcon headed back to his office.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Making his way into the main rec room, Ratchet looked around and smiled before disappearing again, heading back into the repair bay. His antics had everyone suspicious but the mechanics had a feeling they knew what was going on and Wheelie commed everyone to the main area. Racing to respond, the full Martian unit soon lined the walkways, eager to see what was going on. Waking Optimus was a hard decision but eventually Wheeljack reached over and gently roused him, explaining the situation as Optimus levered his bulk up into a seated position.

Emerging from the repair bay again, Ratchet looked around at the gathering and nodded, glad to see everyone was there but also a little concerned that Ironhide wouldn't take to his big audience very well. Turning back and offering his hand through the door, he trilled soothingly and waited, letting Ironhide make the choice. Chittering back nervously, Ironhide placed his hand in Ratchet's and moved out from behind the wall, optics scanning the gathering slowly as he followed Ratchet away from the repair bay.

There was no mistaking him, he'd taken the bait and scanned the Topkick sitting right there in the repair bay and returned to the team looking just the same as the days before he'd been so cruelly torn from them. The only real difference was the colour of his armour, midnight blue instead of glossy black but everything else looked identical. Glancing back at Ratchet again, Ironhide released his grip and stepped forward, feeling his confidence bloom with the support of his friends.  
'Welcome back Ironhide.' Jazz called, waving to the hulking weapons specialist. 'We've missed ya.'  
'Good to have you back Ironhide.' Falcon grinned, leaning in the corner for support.  
"Looking good Ironhide, the blue suits ya." Emily cheered, appearing on the big screen above the main doors. "Sorry I couldn't be there in person, the Wisconsin site is keeping me busy."  
'It's alright Emily, I know you're trying to make things better for us.' Ironhide replied, friendships coming back to him now that he could see everyone again. 'I never want to go through that again, I feel so out of it right now.'  
'Don't worry Ironhide, we're not about to let that happen again. Bros watch out for bros, no matter what.' Bonfire replied, slinging one arm around Slash's shoulders.  
'You're not going to have to face a serious battle for a while Ironhide, the Decepticons are gone from Earth. For now we can relax and enjoy our new home, when it's finished.' Optimus added, so glad to see Ironhide back up and among his friends.  
"We're just doing the final fit out up here. Another month and the final fit out should be just about complete. Then we can kick the moving operation into high gear. As soon as the job is done, I'll head back to Chicago to help."  
'Finally got the grand inventory up to date Emily, Brains was a huge help.' Blade briefed, glancing up at the tiny Autobot perched on his shoulder.  
"Good to know Blade, sorry about dumping so much on your shoulders." Emily nodded, gaze flicking back to Ironhide. "I take it you like the blue."  
'Yeah, the blue is good. Could have changed it to black but I like this.'  
"It really suits you, still dark and mysterious but not quite so much. I see we've got some new faces in the group too."  
'Oh yeah, you weren't around when Kup and Hound arrived. Hound scanned that old Hummer of yours, .50 cal and all. Kup took to your Dodge pickup.' Kawasaki explained, drawing Emily's focus to the pair as Ironhide and Ratchet found a clear area of floor to call their own for a while.  
"The old military beast, heh. I was tempted to offer that to Ironhide but he'll always be a Topkick in my eyes. Welcome both of you, I'll add you to the accommodation roster. Any particular places you'd like to go?" Emily nodded, bringing up an image of the Autobot section on the screen.  
'Hound and I will share Emily, and please, my true designation is Mirage.'  
"Hound and Mirage, building 12. Okay, all fixed. Kup, what about you?"  
'I'll take the spot next to the Wreckers, they're my responsibility now.'  
"Building seven for Kup. So does this mean I don't need to worry about the Wreckers getting out of hand and causing damage to our new facility?"  
'We'll behave Emily, no more untold destruction unless instructed.' Leadfoot replied, glancing at Kup for a moment.  
"That's what I like to hear. Anyone else want to change their housing while I'm here?"  
'No, I think you've got everyone satisfied Emily.' Optimus replied, looking at the simplified plan of the Autobot accommodation area.  
"First bit of good news I've had in a few days. Blade, organise the flight wings. We'll start bringing in the aerial defensive line next week. Twelve in each wing, whatever you can make work."  
'I'll make a start on the listings tomorrow Emily.'  
"Falcon, how's the security system coming?"  
'I've made a solid start. Estimated time to complete, four weeks.'  
"Good, that'll fit in nicely with when the access pads will be installed and ready for integration with the system."  
'Emily, I've got a question.'  
"Go ahead Kup, I'm only too happy to help."  
'I've noticed that all my fellow Autobots have these images on their armour, five glyphs I've never seen before. What are they?'  
"I can't answer that Kup, you'd be better turning your query to Blade."  
'Before the Battle of Chicago, the government tried to kick the Autobots off Earth. As a final show of respect and a promise of unending friendship, we went through a ritual to welcome them into our unit as honour members. The glyphs you see are the ancient Martian glyphs for the unit, SAU 14.' Blade explained, looking around the team and nodding slowly. 'We welcome you as well Kup, if you'll have us.'  
'I would be honoured, Blade.'  
'Slash, kindly go fetch six of those glyph sheets.' Blade instructed, glancing at his Second-in-Command. Slipping from the group, Slash raced down one of the side corridors, heading to Blade's office.  
"Six sheets Blade? Who else did we miss?"  
'Jazz, Ironhide, Prowl, Sunstreaker, Kup and Hound missed the original ritual.'  
"Bros watch out for bros, no matter what."  
'I've never understood that line, you guys keep saying it but I don't get it.' Bumblebee mused, his radio-talk always amusing to hear.  
'We are bros, not by blood but by choice. Brothers in arms, Martian, Autobot and human, all standing together. We watch out for each other, protect each other and offer unending support to anyone within the team. That's what it means to be bros.' Sidewinder explained, climbing up onto the railing and jumping off. Flipping over as he fell, the mighty white landed safely on Kup's shoulder, fully confident none of them would drop a Martian.  
'Doesn't matter about the situation, bros is what we are. We stand together, fight together and live together, a family of warriors with trust as their anchor.' Hammer added, vaulting off the railing without fear and dropping right into Jazz's hands.  
"To be called a bro is to be considered closer than a comrade. To be called bro is to be told, I trust you with my life and my death." Emily nodded, wishing she could be there to join in with the celebrations. Charging back into the main room, Slash handed Blade the sheets on the fly and shot over the railing, twisting and flipping over gracefully before thudding down on Mirage's raised forearm. Rolling through the impact and pushing to his feet again, he showed no fear as he vaulted the gap to land on Hound's arm.

Signalling the rest of the command structure, Blade grabbed one of the drop ropes and shimmied down, the glyph sheets clutched lightly in his tail. Accepting a lift from Optimus, Falcon stepped off his hand and joined the group standing around Blade. Adjusting the sheets in his hand, Blade wrote the recipients names on the sheets then handed them around, trying to be fair. There was no question of Falcon tagging Ironhide, those two were such close friends. Fang was given Prowl's sheet and Fog was to mark Jazz. Christine had the honour of marking Sunstreaker, her gentle hands the best promise of not damaging his paint. Crimson looked at Hound's sheet for a moment, a little surprised to be selected. Blade chose to place Kup's personally, the oldest mouse marking an old warrior seemed right as far as he was concerned.

Receiving a brief from Optimus, the six that were missing their glyphs moved into the middle of the room and transformed, the varied selections of vehicles waiting patiently. The six selected officers formed up opposite the Autobots and marched into the Autobot rank, all immediately shifting to the right hand side of the Autobots. Forgoing the majority of the ritual, Blade instead chose an older style, almost forgotten in the slow march of time. Rising up like wisps of smoke, the ancient words curled from deep in Blade's throat and into the air, all the mice taking up the chant and pushing it higher. Moving with the rhythm, the six selected officers smoothed the markings into place and wiped them over, removing bubbles and ensuring the fit was perfect. Listening to the guttural chant all around them, Optimus nodded slowly and let the strange language sweep over him, not questioning it and not even trying for a translation. The words didn't matter, the emotions were clear. Reaching a crescendo in their chant, the backing papers were pulled away quickly, leaving the individually detailed glyphs on armoured plating. Moving back again and lining up with their fellow officers, the six chosen officers saluted and headed back up to the walkways as the chant wound back into silence.

Transforming and admiring the new glyphs on their armour, the newest honour members were in awe of the ritual, not sure what had been said but they knew they were part of something bigger now.  
'SAU 14 welcomes you, our brothers in arms.' Blade declared, leaning on the railing and watching over the group.  
'We will bring honour to the unit. We will fight with courage and determination against any foe. We will never back down. We will remain true to our people and our home.' Kup returned, repeating the message Optimus commed him.  
'We are honoured to call you bro.'  
'And we you.'  
'Be at peace bros, we stand together and share the watch. Under Emily's watchful gaze, we will all thrive.' Blade grinned, arms wide to encompass all his bros, furred and armoured. 'SAU 14!'  
'SAU 14!'  
"My bros, my charges, my best responsibilities. All I do, I do to ensure your safety and peace. Rest and recharge my dear friends, there is still much to be done before we can truly taste peace again. Our day will come where we will never have to worry about N.E.S.T trapping us in a corner, forcing our hands. Freedom is our right and we've more than earned it." Emily agreed, such tenderness in her eyes as she looked over the group.  
'Emily's right. It's late and we've all worked hard today. Get some rest everyone, tomorrow is another long and busy day.' Optimus nodded, stretching out on the floor again.  
"Hasn't anyone showed Optimus to an empty hanger where he can recharge in peace?"  
'Moving means transforming, I'll stay here for the night.'  
"Very well. Stay in Chicago until I return Optimus, I'll get some local contractors to haul the last loads. We'll need you at your peak for the final haul out of the base."  
'As you wish Emily.'  
"Good night my friends, I've got to go organise the next container shipment. Keep up the good work and soon we will have paradise." Emily soothed, watching over her friends for a few moments longer before turning off the web link.  
'Don't say it Revs, I'll be fine. I'll catch a nap on the couch but I've got to get more of the security system written up.' Falcon sighed, heading back towards his office with Decal.  
'Just don't go undoing all the hard work I put into you Falcon.' Revs called, not really surprised that Falcon wasn't following medical orders, he'd done it many times before.  
'You worry too much Revs. I'll be at my desk, working on the new security system if you want to check up on me during the night.'  
'I intend to Falcon, count on that.'


	10. Empty Base, New Home

Standing alone in the middle of her empty Chicago base, Emily sighed and recalled some of the wonderful times she'd enjoyed over the years she'd been living down here. In the early days this place had been a military base, armed to the teeth and full of military hardware. Then the mice had arrived and she'd cleared a lot of supplies out to the secondary base to give them more space to roam and do their own things. It had been nice to have company, to listen to the guys settling down for the night and watching them learn about earth. That had been the closest thing to real peace she'd had for a while, right up until she'd welcomed the Autobots to take shelter with her to avoid the military. Sighing softly, she looked around the main area again, just imagining the mice were back on the walkways circling the room and the Autobots were relaxed against the walls below, laughing and talking as one cohesive unit.

Shaking out of her thoughts when someone tugged on her pants, she smiled and looked down tenderly at Brains and Wheelie. Understanding dawning on her features, she crouched and gathered the pair into her arms, cradling them both close as she straightened and turned away from the past.  
'We'll never catch the other convoys if we don't go soon Emily.' Brains uttered, hands locking in Emily's shirt.  
'We don't have to catch the other convoys Brains; we'll all end up in the same place anyway. Splitting the team into five separate convoys makes it harder for the military to track us.'  
'How long until we're truly safe Emily?' Wheelie asked, longer arms draped around her neck.  
'well, normally I'd say a couple of days but considering just who is running in this convoy, I'll guess four days, maybe longer.'  
'Isn't it dangerous to be in the open for that long? The military could find us.'  
'Shh, don't you worry about the military, Brains. I promised to keep you safe and I will. If the military wants to try anything with us, we'll deal with it. Don't worry, we've got more than enough firepower to protect the convoy. Come on, let's get going.'

Wandering over to her waiting Topkick, Emily climbed into the driver's seat and settled the small pair beside her, making sure they were comfortable and secure in their seat. Firing up the engine, she buckled up and wound the window down, relaxed and calm behind the wheel of her massive new vehicle. Making her way up the ramp and into the warehouse that hid this entrance, she took a moment to look at the convoy she was leading. Her reputation as a tough bitch was well known and they were using that to their advantage, putting their most obvious targets under her care. That meant she had to protect Optimus, Ratchet and Wheeljack, all while ensuring all their cargo made it through safely. Optimus was her main concern, he wouldn't be able to drop his load in time to defend himself. Ratchet at least had a quick release system on his trailer and Wheeljack wasn't hauling anything that could be damaged if he ejected it, but Optimus, he'd be a sitting duck with his road-train.

Leaving the doors open behind her, Emily left the warehouse and rolled through the waiting team, catching their attention and letting them know it was time to leave.  
'Alright, here's the way it's going to be. Sidewinder, Chain and Scorpion, I want you right behind me at all times. Optimus, you'll stay behind them with Center Line, Chain and Scorpion watching your aft. Ratchet next, Goggles, Wheelie and Crimson will be right behind you. Wheeljack, you'll be next in convoy, Killer and Magura on the tail end. Braidy and Emission, forward and rear scouts, I do not want anyone sneaking up on us.' she briefed, watching in her wing mirror as the mice moved into their positions. 'All right, let's hit the road.' she grinned, checking the map watch system and leaving Chicago by a different route to everyone else.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Pulling up near a truck stop, convoy 2 gathered close and took a few minutes to rest and stretch their legs before continuing their journey. Dismounting from Beast, Blade opened the rear pannier and dug out his thermos, left hand rubbing his butt for a moment before he turned his attention to his coffee. Digging out their own drinks and stretching aching muscles, the rest of the mice were grateful for the chance to rest, even if it was only for a few minutes.  
'This trip is going to be murder on my tail.' Crash remarked, the distant lights catching his faceplate and setting it sparkling.  
'We've done six hours and I'm already suffering from numb bum syndrome.' Carbon agreed, hands wrapped around his coffee mug.  
"Numb bum syndrome?" Ironhide asked, making use of their comms to prevent drawing attention.  
'Yeah, that's what we call it when we've been riding for too long and have lost sensation in our asses. Every biker knows about it.' Bandana nodded, coffee in his left hand as he tried to work some sensation back into his own ass.  
"Sounds distinctly uncomfortable."  
'It is Bee, it's really bad. It only gets worse the longer you ride, so we're all going to be particularly grouchy when we arrive. The only solution is to get off and walk around for a while before getting back on the road.' Ripper replied, stretching and scratching before accepting a coffee from Thunder.  
"You still haven't explained how we're actually going to make this trip. There's no way you guys can ride all the way to Wisconsin without sleep."  
'We weren't planning on it Ironhide. We'll keep going until it's nearly dawn, then find a quiet place to camp for the day. We'll hide in forests or whatever else we can find, it's not going to be easy but we'll make it work.' Blade shrugged, grabbing out his handheld GPS and checking the map for any roads they couldn't use for fear of tailing another convoy.  
"Hiding is harder for some of us."  
'Got it covered Topspin. This here is a camo cover, perfect for hiding gaudy paint schemes in forested locations.' Strap grinned, patting a large bundle in Ironhide's tray.  
'And it's big enough for both of you to disappear under should the need arise.' Terrence added, leaning against Topspin and sighing.  
'I know its hard Terry, you'll be reunited with Steve soon.' Torque soothed, wrapping one arm around Terrence's shoulders lightly.  
'This is the first time we've ever been separated like this Torque, it's hard you know.'  
"It's my first time too Terrence. We've always been together, as far back as I can remember." Topspin offered, wondering where his fellow Wreckers were and how they were coping.  
'C'mere Terry, its okay. Shhh, I'm sorry we split you from Stephen. I wasn't thinking, too much on my plate and I made a mistake.' Blade offered, putting his mug down and opening his arms. Without hesitation, Terrence darted into the welcoming embrace, huddling against the much larger body of his CO. Huddling close, fingers locked into Blade's well worn vest and face in his chest, Terrence cracked, choked and finally broke, sobbing softly into Blade's soft fur. Wrapping the youngster up in his arms, Blade held him close and rubbed his back soothingly, knowing he had to be strong for Terrence and help him through this. Whispering calming words in their mother tongue, the powerful leader showed a rarely seen side of his personality, the tender and loving side.

Everyone else looked away from the pair, wanting to give Terrence some privacy to miss his twin but they knew they couldn't stray too far from the group. They had to get moving soon, there was a lot of ground to cover before they reached their new base.  
'Those two should never have been put into this unit, hell, they shouldn't have been dragged into the war.' Strap uttered, refilling his mug and wandering over to stand beside Bandana.  
'None of us deserved to be treated like we were by The War Council but we're here and we've got it pretty good. But you're right, those two really shouldn't be stuck in with us.' Bandana agreed, wrapping one arm around Strap's waist.  
"Why do you say that?" Ironhide asked, focus turned to the pair near him.  
'They're still so young, they don't belong on a battlefield anywhere. Terrence and Stephen were just 18 when we arrived on Earth, not considered adults by Earth or Mars standards. But here they are, thrown in with a bunch of hard-line soldiers and trying to keep it together. Too young to vote, too young to drink but old enough to fight, kill and die. It's just not fair.' Odd Ball explained, taking a seat beside his bike.  
"Life is not fair, young'uns." Ironhide mused, paying a little more attention to Terrence.  
"I've noticed Terry and Steve on many occasions, they seem genuinely happy normally. This is the first time I've noticed Terry so upset." Bumblebee added, scanners at maximum so they'd have fair warning of trouble.  
'Normally they're together, one mind in two bodies. This separation is hard for them, it's their first time apart in their lives. Once we get to Wisconsin and they're reunited, they'll go back to being the true heart of SAU 14.' Crash explained, leaning against Bumblebee's hood lightly. 'Those two keep the rest of us young at heart.'

Finally drawing away from Blade and wiping his face, Terrence looked up at his leader and smiled faintly, feeling a little better but still so lonely without his brother.  
'You gonna be okay now Terry?' Blade asked, cupping his cheek gently.  
'Yeah Blade, I'll be okay. I can be strong, I can finish this mission and make it home.' Terrence nodded, drawing strength from Blade's presence.  
'I know you will Terry and you'll make everyone so proud of you for doing so. This is a big step for you, your first mission away from Stephen. When we ride into our new base, you can bet everyone will be there to cheer you home. Ready to head out again?' Blade grinned, knowing just what Terrence needed to bolster his confidence again.  
'I'm ready Blade, but would you mind if I rode by your side for a while?'  
'Of course not Terrence, you can ride at my side whenever you want.'  
'Thanks Blade.'  
'Alright bros, mount up. We're heading out again in five.' Blade called, draining his coffee mug and packing his thermos away.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Sweeping past the late night traffic on the freeway, Slash led his convoy towards the state line and hoped Emily's other precautions were in effect. Five crossing points had been selected and paid off to allow them through, but picking the wrong gate would get them all in trouble.  
'Fog, sitrep.'  
"All clear ahead. Don't have eyes on the border yet, I estimate we'll be in range in six hours."  
'Six hours, copy that Fog. Streaks, tail sitrep.'  
"No tails to report. We're clear and free for now."  
'Perfect, Emily's plan might actually work.'  
"Dawn is expected in five hours Slash, we'll never make the border before the light reveals our identities."  
'Acknowledged Fang. We'll pull over in four and set camp for the day. Fog, eyes on a suitable camping site?'  
"Negative Slash, I'll keep searching for something suitable."  
'Sharp eyes Fog, we've got a lot to hide.'  
"Wilco Slash."  
"Slash, bathroom break."  
'Sounds like a plan Plate. There's a spot just ahead that'll do the job nicely.'  
"Good to hear, I really need to go."

Pulling into the little rest area, the mice dismounted and rubbed aching muscles before splitting into two teams without a word. Six drew their weapons and stood guard, crouched down out of sight and listening intently for anything dangerous in the darkness. The other six disappeared into the trees lining the rest area to relieve themselves before getting back to work.  
'I'm glad Emily gave us a week to make the trip, we're going to need every minute of that time.' Dakota remarked, back pressed against Leadfoot's flank.  
'No kidding bro, this is one tough ride. Feels good to be out on the highway though, blow out the cobwebs.' Black agreed, hunkered down beside Sideswipe.  
'Yeah, the girls will be grateful for that. Been too long since we could take a big cruise like this.' Shift nodded, ears twitching as he hunkered down beside Sunstreaker.  
'Wonder how the others are doing.' Bonfire mused, dropping down beside Black and taking over the watch.  
'I'm sure they're fine bro, you worry too much. Windvest is more than capable of taking care of himself until we reach the new base.' Cosmo replied, switching out with Shift.  
'Guys tone it down about family. Stephen's having a hard time.' Raider hissed, waving Dakota off and crouching.  
'Yeah, this can't be easy for him. First time separated and he's got no idea where Terrence is.' Fog agreed, joining the group on watch and sending Black away.  
'They'll be okay, those two are tough little guys.' Slash grinned, settling in to watch for a while.  
"Why all the concern about Stephen all of a sudden?" Sideswipe asked, scanners reaching out to search for danger.  
'First time away from his twin, it's not easy. I still remember the first time I left my brothers' side, I was so scared but I went through with my mission. Blade was so proud of me for doing it and making it back intact.' Slash explained, privately wondering where his older brother was at the moment.  
"He was expecting your first mission to be difficult?"  
'Sunstreaker, on Mars no mission is easy. Everyone faces death daily, witness to their fellow soldiers dying on countless battlefields. Blade knew the risks as well as anyone, there was a big chance I wouldn't be making it home.'  
'We all knew the risks of fighting on Mars, the death tolls were always shocking and we knew it was only a matter of time. No one ever said it but we knew Mars would eventually die.' Bonfire agreed, smiling as Stephen dropped down beside him.  
"Your planet is no more as well?"  
'Not exactly Leadfoot, it's still there but barely capable of sustaining life now. There it is, that red star just there.' Streaks sighed, pointing out the only view of Mars any of them had seen in a while.  
'Not that it matters, we were banished from Mars. Earth is our home now and we're a lot safer here.' Stephen shrugged, a welcoming smile crossing his face as Dakota emerged from the trees again.

Bladders empty and everyone feeling more comfortable now that they'd had a rest, Slash called for a remount and lead the team back onto the road, Fang and Fog casting out to scout ahead and watch their tails as the convoy raced ever northwards.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Sweeping off the freeway and onto a quieter side road, Christine eased off the accelerator and relaxed a little, still scanning for trouble but she wasn't quite so nervous anymore. Behind her came a very interesting convoy; Mirage, Hound and Roadbuster. They'd already had to play dodge the cops twice and narrowly avoided a breathalyser station but they were on track and doing well on their northward journey. She had a strong defensive line for the convoy too, four of the biggest guys in the unit were spread out along the line. Braid was right beside her, an old M-60 and a Martian heavy rifle in the carry bag on the rear rack of his bike. Tank stuck in behind Mirage, carrying similar weapons and ready for action. Falcon was also in the line, tucked in between Hound and Roadbuster, his heavy weapons ready for deployment and packing an even bigger punch. Rictor rode at the back, heavy rifle strapped to his back and another on his bike as they watched over Roadbuster. The rest of the Martian wing were scattered around the three Autobots, peeling out to run scouting missions before slipping back into the main body of the convoy.

Signalling a break, Christine pulled into a vacant lot and planted her feet, the convoy pulling up around her. Yanking her helmet off and shaking out her hair, she dismounted and stretched, grateful to be out of the saddle for a while. Trilling softly at her side, Hunk stretched as well, pushing his suspension out and shaking off the long haul. Chuckling softly, Christine dug out a towel from the side pannier and gave him a quick rub down, soothing and comforting her best friend. Letting out a little chirp of relief, Armageddon rocked and stretched out her components, giving Falcon what for as he stretched and unzipped his jacket to help cool off.  
'Yes, yes, I know Armageddon. Seven hours was a bit much.' Falcon sighed, taking a seat beside her and manually adjusting her suspension for more comfort.  
"Everything okay Falcon?" Hound asked, giving him a bit more light to work by.  
'Yeah Hound, I'm just getting told off by Armageddon. Even with her stronger suspension and custom parts, seven hours straight was a bit much for her to handle. She's tired and grouchy.'  
'We'll rest soon Armageddon, I've got our camping spot marked out. Three hours and we can all rest for the day.' Christine soothed, looking around at the exhausted bikes. 'One last push then rest and recharge for everyone.'  
'I won't argue that Christine, I'm stuffed.' Kawasaki nodded, sagged over the handlebars of his bike.  
'It's been a long day Christine, for everyone. The final clearout and then the long, long ride. By the end of this, Emily's not going to have much to worry about for a while. Everyone will just sleep for a few days.' Hammer agreed, yanking his helmet off and hooking his thermos.  
'Come on, everyone off their bikes. I'm no Mechanic but I know how hard it's going to be to get at the parts until everything's been unpacked and put away properly.' Voodoo sighed, dismounting with a wobble and helping Hammer off his bike. 'Let them rest a few minutes, it'll do them good.'  
'There we go Combat, take five and stretch out again. It's been a hard ride.' Decal soothed, dismounting and plopping down on the ground beside Falcon.  
'Anything to report up ahead?' Falcon asked, finishing the last adjustment and wrapping one arm around Decal's shoulders.  
'Nah, nothing that'll get in our way. I doubt the military has any idea we've left Chicago and even if they do, tracking everyone down ain't gonna be easy.'  
'They can try but anyone military comes near us and they'll get a nasty little surprise.' Splat grinned, rocket launcher strapped to his back and covered with a bag to keep it secret.  
'Oh yeah, we'll make them rue the day they ever tried anything against us.' Metric smirked, two assault rifles secured to his bike and another pair hidden under his jacket.  
"Should we really be picking fight with the military?" Mirage asked, safely tucked in beside Hound.  
'We're not actively seeking a spat with the military but if they try anything, we'll deal with them. We'd rather this be a peaceful move but if we can't have that, we'll make sure the military gets the message that the Autobots are under Emily's protection now.' Braid replied, checking his heavy rifle was still ready for action if needed.  
'Don't worry Mirage, we'll make sure no one scratches your paint.' Tank chuckled, running a cloth over Mirage to clean up any dust.  
"Most amusing Tank."  
"Be grateful you didn't make that comment around Sunstreaker, he'd go crazy looking for the scratch."  
'Oh yeah, we're well aware of his behaviour. He's not exactly well loved in the Spare Parts department.' Voodoo sighed, flicking his hair back over his shoulder. 'He keeps it up and he'll soon learn just why you don't piss off your repair team.'  
'You know what to do if he gets out of hand Voodoo.'  
'Yeah I know Falcon. Hand the case to the security boys and let them deal with it.'  
'And you know we'll deal with it quickly and efficiently.'  
'You always do Falcon, you run a good team.'  
"What exactly do you mean, you'll deal with it Falcon?"  
'Simple Mirage. As the security team, it's our job to hand down punishment for any rule breaking or trouble making. Sunstreaker causes trouble and he'll deal with us as we aren't so easy to intimidate. By the time we're done, he'll be begging to apologise.'  
"That sounds painful Falcon."  
'Nah, just utterly humiliating for him. Don't worry Mirage, we won't do anything to harm him, at least nothing serious.'  
"Very well Falcon."

Moving reluctantly out of Braid's loving embrace, Christine checked her watch and sighed, their five minutes break well and truly over and they had to push on before anyone noticed them lingering in this lot.  
'Alright bros, saddle up again. Three hours and we'll set camp for the day.' she called, stretching up for a kiss before heading for her bike and settling in the saddle.  
'I know Armageddon, I know. Come on, three hours isn't too bad, we've done that before.' Falcon sighed, digging out a soft saddle cover and working it into place before mounting up, settling as gently as he could.  
'Come on Combat, I know you can do this.' Decal coaxed, trying to get his little girl going again. Offering a sad little chirp, she tried to fire up but the journey was too much for her.  
'What's wrong Decal?' Christine asked, turning to the smallest pair.  
'It's too much for Combat. She's trying to fire up but we've asked too much of the little darling.' Decal sighed, soothing his girl as she whistled softly. 'It's okay Combat, you did your best.'  
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Roadbuster asked, turning his scanners to the little blue and green bike.  
'Only one thing for it, we're going to have to carry her to camp.' Falcon shrugged, dismounting and walking over to Hound. 'Reckon we can trust you Hound?'  
"I would be honoured." Hound replied, rear doors popping open.  
'Bring her over here babe, she'll fit nicely.' Falcon called, leaning in and restacking the random load of stuff in the back.  
'Rest Combat, you'll be safe.' Decal soothed, pushing his exhausted girl over to Hound.

Grabbing out some spare load straps from Hound's trailer, Falcon secured the cargo out of the way before turning and crouching, lightly running his hands over Combat's plating.  
'Easy now Combat, you're okay. Just relax, we'll take care of you.' he uttered, wrapping her up in his arms and lifting her off the ground. Easing the little bike against his chest, Falcon stepped back over the trailer hitch and gently slid her into the cleared space.  
"Decal, would you like to ride with us as well?"  
'I'd like that Hound, thanks.' Decal nodded, jogging back to grab his helmet and weapon pack from where he'd left them to ease the strain on Combat.  
"Not a problem Decal."  
'There we go Combat, all nice and secure. Decal will be with you and we'll be right behind you, it'll be okay.' Falcon grinned, securing the small bike into place and checking the straps were tight enough without hurting her. 'You take good care of them Hound, I'm trusting you with a lot.'  
"I will Falcon, I promise."  
'All secure Falcon?' Decal asked, looking up at his mate.  
'She's all tucked in and safe Decal. I'll be right behind you guys if there's any trouble.' Falcon nodded, scooping his mate up and holding him close.  
'Thanks Falcon.' Decal uttered, stealing a quick kiss before jumping down and heading around to climb behind Hound's wheel.  
'All right Hound, close it up.' Falcon directed, turning and heading back to Armageddon.  
'Clear to roll out?' Christine asked, gaze falling on the powerful brown.  
'We're clear to go Christine. Combat and Decal are riding with Hound and we'll see how Combat goes tomorrow.' Falcon confirmed, easing into the saddle again.  
'Then let's roll out!' Christine called, leading the convoy back onto the road.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Finding a suitable camping sight as the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, convoy 5 pulled in and circled the wagons in preparation for a restful sleep. They'd found a suitable little camp ground, there wasn't much there but it would do just nicely for them for their first homeless night.  
'Don't tell me you're still ticked off about this convoy stuff, Revs.' Shard remarked, unhooking his camp roll and flicking it out.  
'You have to admit, the selection process made a mess of things. Two medics in the smallest convoy, that's plain stupidity. We don't even have much in the way of heavy defences. Two that can swing a heavy repeater easily, two that could but with difficulty and seven that wouldn't have a hope. I swear Blade's just trying to make it hard for me, he's got the combined might of Ironhide and Topspin, rolling defences and serious firepower in a siege situation.'  
'Revs, you're not thinking this through properly. We've got the advantage of invisibility. Everyone else is in convoy with recognisable Autobots, bringing in huge risks of discovery and interception. Look at who we've got, Jazz has been pretty much forgotten, Prowl arrived half way through the Chicago fight and Kup missed it by months. Nobody in N.E.S.T knows these three well enough to pick them from a distance. Even the reborn Ironhide is painfully obvious, Topkicks just aren't that popular on the road yet. Just because he's blue instead of black isn't going to protect him.' Chaos countered, turning to the black medic. The selections weren't random bro, they were specifically organised to give everyone the best chance of getting through safely. Every convoy has their advantage, be they brute strength or sheer firepower. Our strength is invisibility, the military won't have a chance of recognising any of us.'  
'I'm gonna wring Blade's neck when we reach Wisconsin, he could have at least fuckin' told me of his plan.' Revs snarled, grabbing his camp roll and flicking it out quickly.  
'If he'd told you, would you have done anything different?' Bits challenged, setting out his own camp roll and sitting on it.  
'No, but it would have been nice to know that before we left.' Revs sighed, climbing into bed and snuggling down. 'Roars, keep a sharp watch. Wake me at dusk.' he instructed, reaching out to give his bike one last soothing pat before settling in for some much needed sleep.

Grabbing the camo sheets from Kup's tray, Windvest set the larger one beside his bike and released the catches on the smaller one as Ghost padded over to help.  
'Is that where you intend to stay for the day Kup?' Windvest asked, unfurling the cloth with a flick and landing the other side in Ghost's hands easily.  
"It's as good a place as any I suppose."  
'Better spot would be around there, you'll be in the shade through the worst of the heat.' Ghost suggested, pointing to the far side of their selected camping site.  
"Well that makes sense." Kup agreed, easing around the relaxing mice and pulling up between the trees where he'd be sheltered.  
'Recharge peacefully Kup, the girls have the watch from here. They'll wake us at dusk for the next leg of the journey.' Windvest grinned, pegging down the front of the sheet as Ghost eased the cloth over Kup's frame, smoothing out the wrinkles and pulling it tight over him.  
"I still do not understand why the need for the cover."  
'Humans are not completely stupid. They'll notice our strange little convoy, even if they don't see who is actually driving the vehicles. When one person notices something like that, it's nothing special. But when several people report the same weird little convoy heading north, well that's a trend and trends can be tracked, predicted and intercepted. By making you three disappear, it makes it a lot harder for those trends to be noticed. Travelling only at night helps too, less people out to notice what's going on.' Bits explained, setting up his camp roll near Kup's right side.  
"Well that makes sense. Don't want to draw attention to where we're going."  
'Now you're getting it Kup. Get some rest, it's been a long night.' Bits yawned, pulling the covers up and adjusting them to cover most of his muscle-bound body.  
'Everything will be okay Kup, we'll make it home and get on with our lives in peace.' Mark added, setting his camp beside Bits and getting comfortable.  
"Sleep well everyone."

Finding their own sheltered place to rest up, Prowl and Jazz almost swapped paint as they pulled up side by side and settled, totally relaxed as the mice unrolled the bigger camo sheet and draped it over them, pegging it down securely along all edges.  
'You guys okay under there?' Speed asked, hammering in the last peg and positioning the alert wire.  
"We'll be fine Speed, you just get some rest. We've still got a long way to go."  
'We'll sleep as soon as you're both hidden away. It's been a rough trip so far and it's not going to get any easier.' Daytona grinned, beating in the last peg on the left side and running the wire.  
"Thanks for the reminder, man."  
'don't let it get to ya Jazz, we're all tired and stressed but once we get home, it'll be smooth sailing. We'll probably still have to deal with the military from time to time but they won't get close.' Tar smirked, following the contours of the sheet to lay a hand on Jazz's hood lightly.  
"Coulda done without that reminder too."  
'Hush Jazz, home will be beautiful. Still industrial but beautiful in ways we can't imagine. Be at peace, soon you will have your own space to make a home with the one you love most of all.' Bandit uttered, walking over to stretch out beside his bike.

Finding their beds for the day and getting comfortable, the mice disappeared into their camp rolls until nothing could be seen of them but a few locks of hair to show there was actually someone there. Boots and helmets close to hand and bikes settled in for their watch shift, the camp was soon silent and calm, everyone drifting into restorative rest. Trilling among themselves for a few moments, the bikes too soon went quiet, scanners sweeping the perimeter but also watching out for the sleepers putting their faith in their bikes for safety.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Three days after leaving Chicago, the convoys were all angled towards an unmarked area about 60 kilometres west of Lake Winnebago. Emily's convoy was first to arrive and start settling in, unpacking the supplies they'd hauled and finding their new homes in the main compound. Pulling into the garage beside the main house, Emily unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered Wheelie and Brains into her arms, sliding out and hip-checking the door closed. Entering the house proper, she kicked her joggers off and smiled, satisfied with her home. It was beautiful, wooden floors, marble bench tops and all new furniture. That didn't mean she was going to be all uptight though, not when she had reasons to enjoy her home.  
'Welcome to paradise you two. This is our home, feel free to explore but try to stay out of trouble.' she grinned, depositing the pair on the floor and watching them for a moment before heading out to unpack the Topkick. Looking around in excitement, Wheelie and Brains took off through the house, just checking out where everything was.

Out in the main area of the compound, Optimus backed his trailers in near the warehouses and waited, feeling the weight lift off as Goggles dropped the legs and unhitched the trailers from the mighty leader.  
'All right, out you go Optimus. You're done for the day.' he called, securing the cables and moving to help with the unloading process. 'Go find your berth and rest a while, you've done more than your fair share of the work.'  
"Very well Goggles. Comm if you need any help."  
'We will. Now get out of here and rest.'  
"I'm going, I'm going." Optimus replied, choosing not to comment on how much Goggles sounded like Ratchet. Pulling away from the trailers, he headed for the Autobot section, looking for building 14.

Finding it and rolling inside, he checked the dimensions before transforming and stretching out his aching chassis. Looking around the building that was to be his home now, he was quite pleased by what he was seeing. A large lounge area took up most of the front half of the building, complete with the biggest couch he'd ever seen and a quite impressive TV mounted on the opposite wall. Against the other wall was a suitably sized desk and chair, just waiting for him. Moving further into his home, Optimus found his berth, the solid steel bed nestled in the back corner and all made up with appropriate sized bedding on a very thick mattress. Directly opposite his bedroom was a tiled area, a smaller wall wrapping around within the main section. Following this wall led him into his new shower, the impressive plumbing efforts actually quite humbling to see. Reaching out and turning the water on, he adjusted the temperature before stepping under the spray, groaning in contentment as the heat eased the tension in his great frame.  
'Now this is paradise.' he rumbled, so glad to wash off the road grime and relax properly.

Back outside, Ratchet waited for the last of his cargo to be unloaded before transforming and heading straight for his new repair bay, standing tall behind the Martian accommodation area. Stepping inside, he was pleasantly surprised by the results. Five berths were neatly lined up as a ward, shelving running above them. Up the other end was a dividing wall, the double doors open to reveal another berth and a sign over the doors marking it as the OR. The middle area was a treatment area, shelves and lockers just waiting for all the supplies he'd need. Another door beyond the ward led to a secondary parts room, the doors again secured open so he could see the length of his new facility.  
'Hey Wheeljack, what do you think of this one?' he called, digging his medkit out of subspace and putting it on the table.  
'This looks great Ratchet. Everything you could possibly need.' Wheeljack grinned, admiring the brand new medbay and nodding slowly. 'I can already see you busy repairing old battle damage and keeping everyone in top shape.'  
'That's the plan but first I need my tools, they're in one of the containers hauled from interstate earlier. Gotta ask Emily where she put it until I could get up here and unpack.'  
'I'm sure she's kept them safe. For now though, we can relax and wait for the others to arrive.' Wheeljack replied, turning and transforming. "Don't know about you but I could use a wash."  
'Now that sounds tempting.' Ratchet agreed, dropping back to his wheels and following Wheeljack towards the housing area.  
"So, have you told Ironhide yet?"  
"Not yet, we've all been so busy I just haven't found the right moment. I'll see how he's feeling tonight."  
"Ratchet, you need to tell him soon. You're almost a year along, we're running out of time to have the body ready."  
"I know Jack, believe me I know. I just don't want to drop this on his shoulders while he's unreceptive."  
"You're his mate, he'll always be receptive to you. Make him comfortable and just tell him, he'll appreciate the honesty."  
"All right, I'll tell him tonight."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Leading her convoy into the compound, Christine looked at the straggler they'd picked up on the road. It hadn't been planned or anticipated, his trail had been picked up by Sideswipe and they'd given chase, determined to beat the military to another Autobot or trash a Decepticon before getting back on their way. Arriving on scene, the new arrival had already scanned a new form but he didn't seem to know what to do next. It took a bit of coaxing and soothing before he finally accepted the convoy and fell into place beside Christine. He was a timid little one, never straying from Christine's side and never saying a word to anyone in the convoy. He couldn't have been a better fit in the convoy though, no one would look twice at a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic among so many other bikes. His bright red and teal paintjob was nice too, highlighting his shape and making him a very attractive looking ride but his lack of dirt was a problem so they'd taken a side trip along a dirt road to grubby him up a bit.

Emerging from his house to see if there was anything he could do to help the new convoy, Wheeljack wandered back towards the shared area with a new spring in his step. He felt so much better after a shower and a rest on the couch but now he needed something to do. He spotted the extra bike in the convoy and paused, the paint scheme reminding him of someone he cared deeply about but dismissed the idea, right until the rider simply vanished. Moving away from the convoy group a little, the newest arrival transformed and looked around, balancing on his wheels as he searched the area for threats. Watching from a distance, Wheeljack crushed down on a flicker of hope, refusing to believe what he was seeing until he had more proof.  
'Mumma!' he cried, optics locking on Wheeljack, standing off to the side of the grassed area.  
'Perceptor!' Wheeljack replied, still in shock at what Primus had dropped in his lap.  
'Mumma!' Perceptor repeated, racing across the grass and right into Wheeljack's arms.  
'Perceptor, my dear child.' Wheeljack uttered, hoisting the smaller mech off the ground and holding him close. 'Primus, I've missed you so much.'  
'I missed you too mumma.' Perceptor nodded, holding on for dear life to the one he'd always been able to trust.  
'It's all right now, you're safe here. Shhh, we'll never be parted like that again, I promise. I've got you, we'll be okay. There you go, nice and safe at last.' Wheeljack soothed, ignoring the stares all around them as he calmed his son.  
'You won't leave again?' Perceptor asked, lifting his head slowly from Wheeljack's shoulder.  
'Never little one, I'll never leave you again. I'll always, always be right here with you. Nothing could ever tear me away from you again Perceptor, absolutely nothing.' Wheeljack promised, overjoyed to finally hold his son again and awed that it had happened at all, his luck was never this good.

Having heard the commotion and come out to investigate, Ratchet chuckled as he watched Wheeljack turn away from the stunned mice and head back to their home to catch up. Wandering into the group and sinking to the ground, he cleared his intakes and nodded as stunned eyes turned his direction.  
'So now you know, we didn't just roll off an assembly line and start our lives. We have our own form of intercourse and from that the spark of a new life can be created. The body is built externally and when the time is right, the sparklet is removed from the carrier and placed within its own body. It's not my place to tell Wheeljack's story, suffice to say he is Perceptor's mother.' he explained, forcing back his secret until he could talk to Ironhide.  
'But I thought Wheeljack was a guy.' Wheelie sighed, totally confused by this new information.  
'We have no specific gender. We have certain traits that would be considered masculine so we use the title male. Some have traits that are more feminine but we really are genderless. Any Autobot can sire a sparklet, just as any Autobot can carry.'  
'Whoa, pregnancy without pain. Major bonus there Ratchet.'  
'I wouldn't say without pain Christine, the final removal of a sparklet from a carrier is painful as the energy ties are broken. But comparing the birth of a sparklet to a standard human birth, the pain is minimal in comparison.'

Ignoring the strange conversation behind him, Falcon gently eased Combat from Hound's interior, cradling the bike to his chest with all the tenderness of a mother with her child. Soothing her with practised ease and unburdened by the weight, Falcon waited for Decal to grab his emergency kit, weapons bag and helmet before they headed for the group.  
'Wheelie, got a job for you.' Decal called, smiling as Armageddon joined the group and trilled a message. 'Thanks Armageddon.' he nodded, setting his gear on the rear carry rack safely.  
'What happened to Combat?' Wheelie asked, waving Goggles over to join them.  
'The route we took as a little too much for Combat to handle. Seven hours out and she couldn't handle any more. Hound's been carrying her all this time.' Decal explained, reaching up to soothe his bike with a touch.  
'Will she accept me carrying her?' Goggles asked, reaching for the bike.  
'Not without a fight bro, Combat can get a little touchy about this. I've got her, she trusts me to carry her.' Falcon replied, soothing Combat again as she struggled to escape Goggles.  
'Alright, calm down Combat. Let's have a look at you and see what's wrong.' Wheelie coaxed, leading the group over to his new workshop. 'So what happened Decal?'  
'We stopped for a break to relax and stretch aching muscles before we got back on the road. When we went to leave, Combat just couldn't get going. She tried so hard Wheelie, gave it a couple of good attempts but it was just too much for her.'  
'Hmm, that's a worry. Up on the bench here Falcon, we'll have a look and see what we can find out.' Wheelie nodded, considering Decal's words as they grabbed their toolkits. 'Go get settled in, I'll call you with any news.'  
'Thanks Wheelie. I'll be back Combat, you be good for the mechanics.' Decal replied, giving her one last soothing pat before leaving the garage.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Just after lunch, another convoy rumbled into the compound and split, heading for the shared area to drop their cargos and help with the unpacking before finding their new homes and relaxing. Everyone gathered to assist with the unloading, passing crates, boxes and bundles of supplies around until everything was secured. Finding Ironhide in the group, Ratchet grabbed his hand and led him away, desperate to get his secret off his chest and just hoping Ironhide was in the mood to hear what he had to say. Leading him through the Autobot estate, Ratchet knew Ironhide was curious but he held back, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

Entering their home, Ratchet guided his mate to the couch and sunk down beside him, settling into the always welcoming embrace of strong blue arms.  
'Somethin' wrong Ratch?' Ironhide rumbled, picking up on the twitches in the bond.  
'I've got something to tell you, something big.'  
'I already know I was rebuilt using Decepticon parts, Topspin let it slip.'  
'Not that, but I am surprised you're taking that news so well.'  
'Doesn't matter, just glad to have this back. What's the secret, Ratch?'  
'Remember when Slash went down to where your spark was resting and asked for something to ease my loneliness?'  
'Course I remember, hated that I couldn't hold you as we slid into recharge.'  
'I don't know what you compressed in that little gift but it certainly removed my loneliness.'  
'Tried to encompass my feelings for ya and all I hoped for our future. Good to know it worked.'  
'Maybe a little too well 'Hide. Your little gift was welcomed into my spark and then split off again. But your little spark gift dragged a section of my own with it.'  
'Now you've confused me Ratch.'  
'We sparked 'Hide. Your spark gift combined into my spark and split off, creating a new life. We're going to be parents soon 'Hide, our child is healthy and growing well.'  
'I'm gonna be a father?'  
'You already are 'Hide. Our little one is already here and growing well.'  
'I…can I see?'  
'Of course 'Hide, this gift is as much yours as mine.'

Chest plates folding out of the way, Ratchet grabbed out his own sparklet kit and fished out his guide, handing it to Ironhide and trusting his mate to be gentle. Humbled by the trust displayed, Ironhide tried to remember the basic lessons Ratchet had given him so long again.  
'Our precious little one is in the left pocket.' Ratchet offered, leaning back a little more as Ironhide eased the tool in beside Ratchet's spark and pushed it gently out of the way.  
'There you are little one.' Ironhide uttered, optics locked on the tiny spark that represented their next generation.  
'How big is it now?'  
'bout three inches. Sparklets are usually ready to be removed at five inches diameter, right?'  
'Usually between five and six inches. Depends on how strong the little one is at the final check.'  
'I've got a feeling this little one is going to be very strong.' Ironhide grinned, easing Ratchet's spark back into place and moving to sit beside him again.  
'Goes without saying 'Hide.' Ratchet agreed, taking back the tool and returning it to the solid case beside him. 'Now get over here, we have a lot to discuss if we're going to be ready for this.'  
'Never expected to be a parent, I need a few minutes Ratch.'  
'I know 'Hide, I know. Come sit beside me and we'll take it slow.'  
'Can I at least wash the road grime off first?'  
'Shower's down the back, you can't miss it. I'll be here waiting for you.'  
'I just know we'll make great parents Ratch. I just wasn't expecting this news so suddenly.'  
'I got a shock too 'Hide, don't worry. How about I scrub your back, make you feel better.'  
'I'd like that Ratch. Been so long since we could just be ourselves and not worry about anythin' else.'  
'Too long 'Hide, far too long.' Ratchet agreed, walking over to wrap both arms around Ironhide's frame. 'I love you.'  
'Love you too Ratch. Shower?'  
'Sounds good to me, come on.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Hoisting Wheelie onto her shoulders and cradling Brains in her arms, Emily left her home and coded through the gate, a tender smile on her features as she entered the compound proper.  
'Is there any way we can access the gate alone? Just on the off chance we need to get through.'  
'Of course Brains, all you have to do is code through. The lock is set with a wireless link, hit it with your ID code burst and it'll pop open. It's exactly the same way all the Autobots code in through their main gate. We mere mortals need ID passcodes and retinal scans to ensure security.' Emily explained, reaching up to brace Wheelie before he slipped off.  
'Seems simple enough.'  
'Sometimes simple is best, Wheelie. The security system is simple so if we ever get new arrivals, it's only a matter of minutes to add another name to the roster. Falcon's the only one with the major codes to do those updates and he's got them locked away so it's almost impossible to force him to update the system to welcome in an unwanted figure.'  
'Whoa, now that's taking security precautions. Even Optimus respects Falcon's abilities.'  
'Only a fool disrespects Falcon. He's no pushover, he'll take the fight to anyone that dares cross the line. He's still the security chief, that's never going to change and I'll fight to ensure he stays in top spot. There's no one I'd trust more with the most vital codes of this base and that's saying something.'

Wandering through the compound, Emily felt so content as she watched the Autobots and Martians finding their homes in the expansive lots. Crossing the main road linking the two lots at the front, she made her way past two empty buildings before hitting the doorbell on the third.  
'Yeah, c'mon in.' Wheeljack called, sounding about as relaxed and happy as a guy could get.  
'Well, someone's sounding cheer…oh, didn't realise you had company.' Emily grinned, pausing on the stairwell secured inside the building so the mice could still get to optic level without needing a lift. 'I can come back later if you'd prefer.'  
'It's okay Emily, really. This is Perceptor, he joined up with Christine's convoy after arriving planetside. You don't need to worry about organising one of the empty homes for him either, he'll stay with me for quite a while.'  
'Hi Perceptor. So what's the story Wheeljack or are you expecting me to guess?'  
'H-hello.' Perceptor uttered, burrowing in close to Wheeljack timidly.  
'He's my son. My spark combined with that of his father created a new life. Unfortunately his father was lost and I was left to raise Perceptor alone. I had to leave him behind when things got really bad on Cybertron, I left him with a very trustworthy friend. Things didn't go so well for my friend and he had to send Perceptor away. Knowing there was only one place he'd be safe and happy again, he followed me across the universe. I never expected him to make that distance but I'm so very glad he's here where he belongs.' Wheeljack explained, lightly running one hand over Perceptor's back. 'It's all right little one, Emily's a friend. You don't have to be afraid, she only wants the best for you, for all of us.'  
'No rush Wheeljack, I'll be around when Perceptor's ready to get to know me properly. Is there anything you need to make family life easier?' Emily offered, once again bracing Wheelie from falling off.  
'Well, an extra berth could be useful. Not sure he'll use it but having the options would be good.'  
'Leave it with me, I'll get a couple of the guys to dig out a spare berth from storage and bring it through for you guys. Could take a little while, everyone's busy settling in and getting comfortable. I'll try and have it organised by dark.'  
'Thanks Emily.'  
'Anything for family Wheeljack, you know that.' Emily replied, heading back downstairs and pausing at the doorway. 'I'm hoping to have a dusk get together on the grass out back. A chance to make sure everyone's home and satisfied.'  
'We'll be there Emily.'

Pausing to check up on Optimus, Emily had to smile as she watched him catching a nap on the couch. Cleaned up and totally relaxed, he slumped in an almost organic way. One foot on the floor and the other resting on the arm of the couch, one arm along the back of the couch and the other just hanging limp, head down and intakes rattling quietly, he was out like a light and catching up on some much needed recharge.  
'Now that's what I was hoping to see more of. Total comfort and peace of mind. He's so deep in recharge, nothing's gonna wake him.' Emily grinned, leaving as quietly as she arrived so she didn't disturb Optimus.  
'He does look a lot more comfortable now that he's here.'  
'That's exactly what I'm hoping to see in every case. Now that we're finally safe and away from Mearing's influence, I'm hoping everyone unwinds and relaxes completely. All this stress isn't good for anyone.'  
'But what about your stress levels Emily?'  
'Don't you worry about me Brains, I know how to relax. There will be times when I'm highly strung and stressing but those times never last long and usually end up in a big payday. Never takes me more than a couple days to unwind after one of those times.'  
'Well, if you say so.'  
'I appreciate the concern but you don't need to worry about me, I know what I'm getting into.'

Leaving the Autobot accommodation area and striding across the grass, Emily deftly handed the pair off to Sidewinder and kicked off, hair flying around her face as she pulled off a series of flips and cartwheels across the soft grass. Approaching Topspin, she paused for a moment before springing high, boots tapping against his shoulder and sending her tumbling back in the other direction. The long grass was no problem for her, she was in her zone and free to fly as she knew best. Showing that she had no boundaries when it came to the stunts she'd pull, the battle hardened woman took flight with one great heave of her arms, tumbling once before landing with barely a sound on Hound's roof. Kicking off and soaring over backwards, she hit the ground and rolled, glancing back over her shoulder as if taunting someone to chase her. Taking up the challenge, Ripper shot to his feet and took off after her, diving over Roadbuster's hood and hitting the ground running. Relishing the challenge, Emily took off away from him, darting among the mice on the grass and using the Autobots to further the distance between her and her tail. Ripper wasn't an easy one to shake, he knew his core training well and practised Emily's lessons in his off time but there were some tricks Emily didn't teach him. Using Hound as a blocking object, she hit the ground and rolled, disappearing under Ratchet and popping up the other side to scramble into Ironhide's tray. Hugging the floor of the tray, she waited in silence as he rumbled away from the area, Ratchet falling into place behind them. Risking a glimpse over the edge, Emily made her move again with total confidence. Backing right up in the limited space she had available, she took off, toes digging in as she kicked off his tailgate and soared.

Hanging in the air for what seemed like hours, Emily came down again and impacted against Ratchet's hood. Winking at him, she planted her hands above her windshield and vaulted up, landing her weight on the rails near his emergency lights. Throwing her weight forward again, she grabbed the upper railing and kicked off, balling up and rolling along the roof rack. Hands reaching again, she slapped against his spare tyre and dropped flat, disappearing into the rack and trying to relax.  
"What are you doing up there Emily?"  
'It's a game I taught the Martians, we call it Catch the Spy. I'm the spy, Ripper's trying to catch me by using all the tricks he knows.'  
"You're going to want to get lost soon. Ironhide and I have some intimate catching up to do, if you catch my drift."  
'Exactly my intention. I just need the right way back out. And there it is.' Emily nodded, surprising everyone with her next daring move. Shooting sideways off Ratchet's back, Emily snatched a drainpipe and started up, the deadly fall below her of no concern as she climbed onto the roof and scrambled onto the peak. Sitting up there, she could see everything that was going on but her eyes fell on Ripper, still down on ground level and trying to work out how to catch her. Here was her new advantage, she could see him from her current perch and he could see her but once she left the peak, he'd be blind to her movements until she emerged from behind the Autobot homes. Dropping a salute, she slid off the peak and down to the rear drainpipe, climbing down quietly and taking off into the Martian housing estate.

Pounding the pavement and racing back towards the shared space, she moved quickly across the open spaces and hugged the buildings, slowing her breathing through force of will and maintaining her calm. Picking her moment, she broke cover and sprinted, Ripper whirling around and moving to intercept her the moment she broke cover. Scrambling behind Topspin, Emily listened intently for the progress of her tail before taking off again, bounding over Mirage and Hound again. Flipping off again, the chase came to a shocking end. Flying around Hound's front end, Ripper caught her mid-flip, driving the older woman into the ground.  
'Not bad Ripper, not bad at all. I knew you'd eventually make a catch, looks like 7 is your lucky number.' Emily grinned, brushing her hair out of her eyes.  
'Thanks Emily. I have to say, the trick in the Autobot estate was clever, I had no idea which way you were going to go. You made the mistake of not checking my location before breaking final cover. I was right there at that corner where you last saw me standing. You ran right into my sightline.'  
'I knew I should have gone back around the long side. Well played Ripper, I'm proud of you.'  
'It was fun Emily, I was wondering if we'd ever play again.'  
'We'll play with a new dimension now Ripper, the exterior dimension.' Emily nodded, breaking his hold and rolling to her feet before wandering over to sit beside Sidewinder.

#~#+^*^+#~#

The last of the supplies put away and everyone's personal effects unpacked in their homes, the full team gathered to watch the sunset over their brand new compound. Stretching out and getting comfortable on the grass, the team relaxed and listened to the quiet music over the camp, soft smiles and contented remarks shared among all.  
'My bros. My charges. My best responsibilities. Tonight we celebrate a major accomplishment in our shared lives. At last we are free of the constrictions of a secret life. Here we are free just to be ourselves, unrestrained by military protocol, narrow-minded people or underground living. Within these walls, we are secure against the military, they cannot get close without risking serious injuries or death. Thanks to our combined technologies and abilities, N.E.S.T has no idea where we are. Join me now in revealing our location to their satellites high overhead.' Emily called, holding up the small device that had kept her Topkick from satellite surveillance. Holding up their own units, the massed team deactivated the signals as one and tossed the units into waiting crates until the next time they were needed for whatever reason. 'It brings me great pleasure to welcome two more into our ranks. Their arrival was unexpected but they are just as welcome as those who have bled for this planet. Perceptor, son of Wheeljack and Hot Rod, bond-mate of Kup. We welcome you.' Emily continued, drawing attention to the new pair in the compound. Letting out a soft yip of fright, Perceptor shot behind Wheeljack and peeked out timidly, a tightly wound bundle of nerves. Hot Rod on the other hand just lazily lifted one hand and waved, far too content in Kup's arms to care about anything else.  
'Hey Emily, come and join us. We're talking about the convoys we ran.' Blade called, waving her over to their little group.

Grabbing another beer and walking over to settle beside Bumblebee, Emily stretched out and got comfortable, smile widening as Wheelie and Brains scrambled into her lap.  
'I'll bet you didn't have some old farmer taking pot-shots at you. We thought it was public land, turned out we camped in his field. He didn't appreciate that, peppered Kup's tailgate with birdshot.' Revs sighed, glancing over at Kup and Hot Rod again. 'Hey Kup, how's the tailgate?'  
'Nothing serious. Just needs a repaint.' Kup replied, totally content to hold his mate and relax.  
'Heh, at least you didn't almost get flattened by a runaway protoform. Hot Rod couldn't land somewhere safe, he hit the bloody field right where we were camped. Not the best way to wake up.' Slash growled, shooting a dark glare at the brightly coloured Autobot.  
'I said I was sorry. Nav was fried, combination of Decepticon damage and a less than optimal entry path.' Hot Rod offered, lifting his helm from Kup's shoulder again.  
'Feh, you guys had it easy. I had to do some very quick talking to get out of a couple minor traffic accidents. Someone couldn't keep his trailers in line. Five fender benders, no serious injuries thankfully but a lot of very frightened people.' Emily countered, her use of the plural telling her bros just who had been causing trouble for her.  
'I did mention that there was something wrong with the rear trailer.' Optimus sighed, stretching out on the grass and watching the five convoy leaders as they chatted.  
'And even after we switched the trailers, you still managed to hit an SUV and a Porsche.' Emily sniggered, lifting her beer in a toast to his driving abilities. Optimus didn't take any offence, it was all in good taste.  
'Things are tough all over Emily. I'm just glad we had a reasonably fast convoy, had to outrun highway patrol. Roadbuster drew more attention than anticipated.' Christine shrugged, sipping her beer and curling in against Braid a little more.  
'Now that sounds familiar. Keeping Leadfoot out of trouble was quite the test. Not for the fact he was looking for trouble, trouble seemed to just find him. NASCAR cars are a rare sight on American roads, NASCAR cars with serious weaponry even more so.' Slash agreed, welcoming Bonfire into his arms.  
'Definitely familiar. Topspin wasn't as much of a hassle, he tended to stream behind Ironhide and try to at least avoid notice. Bumblebee was all too happy to be noticed, he drew a lot of attention away from the others.' Blade nodded, looking up at the bright yellow mech forming their windbreak.  
'Just doing my job.' Bee replied, thoughts drifting to another matter he'd been thinking about for a while. 'Emily, will I ever get a chance to see Sam again?'  
'Of course you will Bee. Once everyone's settled in and things are as close to normal as they'll ever get, I'll personally go see Sam and Carly and let them know what's going on. I'll even provide Sam with the location of this compound and a temporary pass code for his first visit. Once he gets here, he'll get a restricted access pass so he'll be able to come and visit whenever he can.' Emily replied, turning her gaze to Falcon's mighty frame.  
'Restricted pass?'  
'There are certain places that I don't want Sam or Carly going. This is our shared home Bee, we have to keep some secrets.'  
'Of course Emily.'  
'They'll be free to explore most of the compound but several doors would be locked to them.'  
'Makes sense.'  
'Hey Em, still planning on going back to work now that things are settled again?' Killer called, cuddled up again Magura.  
'Yeah, that's the plan Killer. Not sure how I'll go with all the new stresses to balance but I seriously doubt N.E.S.T and Mearing are going to be much of a problem. I'm in no real hurry though, we've got plenty of funding before I really have to go back to work.'

Getting to his feet, Ratchet chirred at Ironhide until he reluctantly stood and wrapped his mate up in a loving embrace from behind.  
'Before you all get too relaxed and sleepy, we've got an announcement to make.' Ironhide called, drawing attention from all sides and supporting Ratchet against his chest.  
'Whenever you two say something like that, we're in for trouble.' Optimus teased, propping up on his elbows and crossing his ankles.  
'Alright, alright, everyone hush up and let them speak. This is obviously important.' Blade snapped, looking around at his bros and waiting for them to go quiet.  
'Thank you Blade. As you may or may not know, Ironhide and I are bonded, our equivalent of marriage. With bonding comes many dangers and consequences but also great joys. Tonight we have a great joy to share with our extended family. We would like to announce the sparking of our child, due sometime in the next year.' Ratchet announced, so grateful for Ironhide's calm support at his back through a rough time with the sparklet.  
'It's been so long since a sparkling came into being. This is wonderful news indeed.' Optimus nodded, stunned by the news but glad to know their race still had a chance.  
'Oh Primus, a child of Ironhide and Ratchet…now that's a scary thought.' Sideswipe remarked, glancing at his twin for a moment.  
'I'll give you scary thought.' Ratchet growled, wrench appearing in hand.  
'Whoa, easy now Ratch. Don't go gettin' all wound up, think of the sparklet. We don't want our little one pickin' up our worst habits. C'mon now, just calm down. I'll handle it.' Ironhide soothed, deftly removing the wrench from Ratchet's hand and launching at Sideswipe, wrench swiping across his armour to leave a very big scratch across his paint. 'Anyone else wanna try anything with me while my creator instincts are firing?'  
'Oh slag, this isn't going to end well. Ironhide and Ratchet with their creator programming in full swing…eep.' Sunstreaker yelped, scrambling up and back peddling away from Ironhide.  
''Hide…' Ratchet uttered, one hand pressed to his helm. Glaring at the twins for a moment longer, Ironhide hustled back to Ratchet's side and held him close, the unshakeable foundation for his family.  
'I gotcha Ratch, it's okay. I'm here and I'll never leave you, either of you.' Ironhide soothed, a different side coming out as he soothed and calmed his mate.  
'Don't ever let go 'Hide, can't do this alone.'  
'Never Ratch, nothin' could tear me away again. You don't have to face anything alone, I'll be right here with ya through it all. Now come on, it's been a very long couple of days and you need to rest.' Ironhide coaxed, shifting his grip and gently guiding Ratchet away. 'Night guys, keep it down to a dull roar out here.'  
'Got it covered Ironhide. Recharge well, both of you and congratulations.' Optimus replied, sitting up and watching the pair walk back towards their home.  
'Yeah, I think we're going to turn in too. Perceptor's had a very big day.' Wheeljack added, easing to his feet and crouching beside his recharging son. 'Shhh, mumma's got you Perceptor.' he soothed, cradling the young mech to his chest as he walked away.  
'You three, off you go. I'll be in soon for evening inspection.' Kup directed, turning his gaze to the other Wreckers relaxing on the grass. 'Don't argue, just go get cleaned up and ready.'  
'Yes Kup.' Roadbuster replied, getting up and hauling his companions up before they filed away.  
'Lighten up Kup, the world isn't going to fall apart if you don't relax and let those three enjoy.' Optimus sighed, attention turning to the ancient warrior.  
'You're too young to remember the truth Optimus. Suffice to say, there is more to this than just an officer and his team. I can only assume you still have a copy of my military files. Go right back to when I was no older than Prowl, there you will find your answers.' Kup replied, getting up and walking away.  
'Don't look at me, I have no idea what's going on.' Hot Rod shrugged, scrambling up and catching up with Kup.  
'Tomorrow is soon enough for that, right now I'm too comfortable to get up just yet.' Optimus sighed, stretching back out and looking up at the stars.

Looking down at Brains and Wheelie, Emily had to smile as she watched them recharge, curled up together on her lap. Handing her empty bottle to Braid to flick into the nearest bin, she carefully untangled the pair and lifted them to her chest, humming softly to soothe them as the started stirring from their recharge. Boosting Wheelie up first and draping him against her chest, she held him with her left arm before very tenderly lifting Brains up using just her right hand until he was resting against her chest, still deep in recharge. Gaining her feet without disturbing the pair was a little more of a challenge but she managed and stepped past the mice still reclining on the grass, a new lightness in her step as she turned back to the group.  
'Don't be up too late guys. I know you're wired but let's try and get back onto a proper diurnal cycle. The occasional all nighter is fine but snip this habit before it gets out of control.' she warned, glancing back at her friends before walking away. 'Sleep well, all my dearest friends.'  
'Goodnight Emily.' Optimus replied, still amazed by how right this situation felt. A proper home, friends and family, a mother guardian to care for and watch over them all, it really was such a warming lifestyle to enjoy.

#~#+^*^+#~#

As the rest of the team slowly headed for bed, it was soon just the two leaders left, gazing up at the stars in silence. Getting to his feet, Blade sighed and walked over to where Optimus was stretched out, lost in his own little world. Finding a sheltered place against Optimus' side, Blade settled and leant back against him, attention turned inside.  
'Mars is bright tonight.' Optimus remarked, shifting a little on the grass.  
'You've got a real thing for dead and dying planets, don't you?' Blade scoffed, looking at the beer in his hand before draining it and tossing it towards the nearest bin.  
'Excuse me?'  
'Mars is a dying world, nothing can be done to save it anymore. The rest of the unit looks up at the ball of rusty ground and feels a surge of something, but I know better. There's no point staring at that barren place, we aren't wanted there and even if we could go back, there's nothing worth fighting for.' Blade shrugged, feeling pleasantly buzzed as he sat there.  
'Is there nothing good to be said for Mars?'  
'Not as far as I'm concerned. Got no family left there, only one left is my younger brother and he's part of this unit. Parents were killed in the Third Mars War, left us orphans when we were just kids. I was eight and Slash just seven. Lost our last family members in the Forth Mars War, an Uncle we'd only seen once in our short lives. We lived in one of the military run orphanages until we were old enough to fight and then it was death and destruction every day. I was just fifteen when I started killing for a living, Slash joined the ranks a year later when he turned fifteen. Our surrogate father figure, General Stoker of the Martian Freedom Fighters, betrayed us and so many others when he signed the documents that would banish SAU 14 from Mars for eternity. There was no remorse, no chance to plead our case, it was done at an emergency meeting in the middle of the night. First thing we knew about any of it was when the base guards descended on our barracks and gave us the order to pack all our belongings and report to the hanger for reassignment. Everyone was worried about what was going on, we weren't given a lot of time to pack our gear and say goodbyes to anyone we knew. As CO, it was my job to calm their worries but how was I supposed to do that when I was scared out of my mind? The ship we were given was in bad shape, the hull was space worthy but we had no idea if we'd survive any long journeys in it, we had no choice though. We had our orders and we'd follow them to the letter like the good soldiers we were. Brimstone's Grace didn't survive re-entry intact, she broke in half on the way into Earth's atmosphere. We had no warning about it, the ship just cracked and plummeted through the sky. We were lucky in a way, the two halves stayed together and crashed as one, rather than separating into even more pieces. We owe our lives to Emily, she stormed the burning ship and rescued us all, dedicating everything she had to our survival.' Blade sighed, the memories coming back to him with a fluidity he hadn't expected.

Listening to the rant, Optimus saw many of his own concerns and fears in Blade's words. Activating his hologram, Optimus settled down beside Blade, shuffling around for a moment until he got settled and found a comfortable spot for his tail. Head resting on his folded arms atop his knees, Blade looked at the mouse beside him curiously. It wasn't that this hologram was difficult to identify, far from it in fact but the simple fact Optimus had bothered with creating a Martian hologram. Pale grey fur rippled over his lithe frame, nowhere near as powerful looking as Blade's own heavyset body but still strong enough. Darker grey hair cascaded over sloping shoulders, the simulated locks reacting to the gentle breeze that reached them. Instead of the simple clothes so common among the mice, Optimus had added his own style to the outfit. Blue jeans encased strong legs, red flames licked up from his boots to just below his knees. A red vest hung over Optimus' chest, worn open like everyone else and highlighted by the blue flames reaching over the shoulders and rising up from the bottom hem. Matching wristbands adorned both arms, blue and red flames mingling together to create a very nice result. Scuffed brown boots and a well worn broth leather belt completed the outfit, breaking up the red and blue just enough for it to not be overwhelming. Lifting his gaze again, Blade let it linger on the calm face of his friend, taking in the earrings and letting his anger and frustrations cool. Three golden hoops dangled from Optimus' left ear, clinking softly with every twitch of his head. Two matching studs adorned the right ear, sitting high and proud in the top corner of his ear.

Accepting the scrutiny and hoping he hadn't caused some offence, Optimus was quite surprised when Blade chuckled and shook his head in wonder and amusement.  
'Unless you want a reputation as a guy who'll have his way with anything that walks past, you'd better move those studs of yours. Two big studs like that up there is a subtle sign that you're a player.'  
'A play…oh, well that's not what I was going for. Would it be more appropriate to move them to the lower edge of my ear?'  
'Yeah, lower edge is good. That marks you as a soldier that has sacrificed much for the cause.'  
'Is there anything else that should be changed while I'm making alterations?'  
'Feel free to create a medallion like ours, no one will argue with that one. You're honour members of the team, it's your right.'  
'I will do that Blade. One moment.' Optimus nodded, hologram disappearing again.  
'Thanks for the distraction Optimus, was getting into some thoughts I didn't want to go searching through again.' Blade grinned, uncurling his mighty frame and pushing to his feet.  
'It is lonely at the top, I understand Blade.' Optimus rumbled, lifting his head before settling back and putting out his hologram again.  
'It is a burden that few can truly comprehend.' Blade nodded, admiring the few minor changes Optimus had made. The two studs had moved down to the lower curve, a distinguished career marked in shining gold. Hanging around his neck on a solid chain was a rounded diamond, the sides curving in just a little to draw focus to the OP in the metal.  
'Is this more appropriate Blade?'  
'Bro, you have got to unwind and chill out. You'll pass muster looking like that, if anyone else is ever lucky enough to see this hologram.' Blade chuckled, wandering over to grab another beer before settling beneath a tree.

Trying something he'd seen the mice doing earlier, Optimus let his body relax and he hit the ground, sprawled out comfortably on the ground. It took only moments to find a comfortable position, unlike the discomfort and trouble finding support in his true form.  
'You're getting a hang of this organic life now, ain't you?' Blade smirked, ripping the top off his bottle and taking a swig.  
'Usually getting comfortable is much more difficult. This is actually quite pleasant.'  
'Just how close is your hologram to the real thing? Obviously there are some things you can't replicate but just how close to a true Martian can you get?'  
'Without proper understanding of the Martian race, I cannot be certain of all the accuracies. Why do you ask?'  
'Just curious.' Blade shrugged, lobbing his latest empty into a bin and stretching out beside Optimus. 'I picked up on some curiosity regarding the Martian race.'  
'Despite having lived together for almost a year, I feel as though I hardly know your people.'  
'Goes both ways Optimus. Can't say I know a lot about your people. The Mechanic team probably knows a fair bit by now but they've got practical repair knowledge, not actual understanding of the culture.' Blade shrugged, shuffling a little closer and knocking shoulders with Optimus. 'Hmmm, feels pretty real to me, this might work.'  
'what might work…ack!' letting out a highly undignified squawk as Blade tackled him, Optimus had no idea what was going on as the bigger mouse sent them both tumbling across the grass.  
'You wanna learn about Martian behaviour, this is the first lesson. Bros within a unit will often start wrestling matches like this. It's good for the cohesion of the team and boosts morale if the command structure is beaten.' Blade explained, stopping the tumble and looking down at Optimus, pinned beneath his weight.  
'There is a lot I have to learn about your culture, clearly.' Optimus nodded, muscles coiling before he threw Blade off and scrambled after him.  
'We're just getting warmed up Optimus.' Blade smirked, getting his legs back around the hologram and flipping them over once more.

Tumbling back and forth across the grass, the two leaders played like youngsters, laughing and screaming in delight as they tumbled and tussled, enjoying their chance to behave so out of character. Shedding their leadership burdens and tossing them aside, they enjoyed releasing their more youthful side, pushing away all other concerns and worries in their pursuit of a great time. Reversing their positions again, Optimus pinned Blade's wrists to the grass, not afraid to use his strength against the taller mouse he was now straddling. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, Optimus couldn't care less that he was dishevelled and looking the worse for wear, he'd had a great time and rediscovered a youthful side he'd almost forgotten he had. Blowing his braids out of his face, Blade looked up at Optimus and tested the grip he had on strong wrists, not looking to break free, just testing. He had no shame in being bested by his fellow leader, there really was no winning or losing while playing like this, it was all fun and games.

Climbing off the bigger mouse, Optimus flopped down on the grass and ran one hand through his hair, unconcerned as he caught his antennae between his fingers and pulled on them a little.  
'And you've just blown the fact you're not a true Martian mouse. These little things are sensitive, you don't just run your hand over them without care.' Blade corrected, sitting up and carefully neatening up his hair around his antennae before combing the long locks out with his hand.  
'I had no idea. I understand the purpose of my own antenna but why do your people have them?'  
'Depends on the person really. The minor telepathy comes out in everyone and the mind-walking abilities are universal but apart from that, it varies greatly. I've got the gift of subconscious thought. Without touching my target, I can focus and drop suggestions into their mind. Don't even need to make eye contact, I've gotten that good at dropping suggestions into place. Falcon's got the talent for real telepathy, not just the minor inter-team stuff we can all do. Even at distance, he can read the thoughts of someone he doesn't trust. He'd never do it with one of his team-mates, but anyone else he can read is fair game. Fog takes mental suggestion one step further, he doesn't just leave thoughts, he can actually make people see what isn't there or miss what's right in front of them. Hammer's such a good spy because his act more like sensors, giving him all kinds of information about the environment he's working in at any given time.' Blade explained, gaze un-focusing for a few moments before he blinked and turned his attention back to Optimus. 'Sorry about that, Braidy was having a nightmare. I just eased him back into more peaceful dreams.'  
'Just like that? He doesn't mind you entering his dreams like that?'  
'It's that simple. Braidy actually finds great comfort in knowing I'm watching over his dreams. As the Commanding Officer of SAU 14, it's my duty to ensure everyone is safe and happy at all times. It's not always easy but I wouldn't change it for the world.'  
'Leadership is a balancing act; the burdens of keeping everyone safe weighted against getting the job done. Sometimes it's all too much to bear.' Optimus agreed, flopping out on his back again. 'Tonight has been good Blade, thank you.'  
'Whenever the leadership burden gets too much, I'll be around Optimus. Whatever you need, I'll be here to help. Even the best leaders and warriors need a chance to put aside their burden for a while.' Blade nodded, gaining his feet and stretching. 'Goodnight Optimus, I'll see you tomorrow.'  
'Sleep well Blade.' Optimus grinned, hologram vanishing before the mighty leader stood and headed for home.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Standing watch from the rear balcony of her home, Emily smiled as the last lights in the camp finally flickered out and silence settled over the compound. Smiling softly as she finished her cigarette, she headed inside and closed the doors quietly, the heavy curtains sliding silently into place as she headed for bed. Hanging her dressing gown on the corner of her bed, she crawled in and settled, dark hair spilling over crisp white pillows. Rolling onto her side, she was drawn to the picture of youthful innocence by the wall, Wheelie and Brains sleeping soundly in their bunks as the moonlight caressed their armour.  
'Goodnight my cherished responsibilities and sleep well. The Black Hunter has the watch tonight.' she whispered, burrowing under the covers and drifting off to sleep under the ever watchful gaze of their security system.


	11. Making A Stand

Another perfect day in the compound was abruptly cut short by the wailing alarms, bringing everyone running to the grassed area for instructions. Strapping on body armour and holstering weapons as fast as Wheelie and Brains could hand the kit to her, Emily hoisted the pair and sprinted through the house, Wheelie coding ahead so she could head straight through the heavy gate.  
'Fog, sitrep!'  
"Camera orbs are displaying a concerning image Emily. N.E.S.T has this compound surrounded, they're holding just outside weapons range. Mearing is here too, left side of the compound with Lennox and Witwicky. Oh, and Carly Spencer, I think it was."  
'Fuck, just the news I didn't want to hear. Mearing ain't gonna just walk away. Lennox and Witwicky we can deal with, they won't do anything to risk their friends. Mearing is the problem; she's one big pit bull that isn't going to let the Autobots go.'  
"What's the plan Emily?" Falcon asked, itching to jump into the defence of their home.  
'I want all the Autobots to stay the hell below the wall line. We'll play this very carefully. Jazz, Ironhide and Bumblebee, I'm going to need you three popping up on command. Get over nearer to the wall but watch out for the wall, one bump could take out a section of the defences.'  
"We're moving Emily. Ironhide, get down."  
"Easy for you Jazz, this frame don't get any smaller."  
'Crawl it you have to Ironhide, just stay out of sight. They can't be certain where we are inside the compound.'  
"Got it Emily."  
"What about the rest of us Emily?" Ratchet asked, obviously worried for his mate but trying to hide it.  
'Stay down, stay sharp and be ready. This could go to hell in moments and I'll need your defensive cover to get back behind the wall before I get my ass shot off. Bros, cast your bikes out on the defence, internal support with external options as instructed. Then get down to the hangers, we might need the air cover in a hurry. Sniper team, I want you to stay up top, take up defensive positions aiming out towards Mearing's position, fire on my order.'  
"Already on it Emily." Blade responded, switching to a sub-channel and barking orders to his unit.  
"Copy that Emily." Crimson confirmed, getting his section of five on the move.  
"You not seriously going out there alone, are you Ma'am?"  
'Yes I am Leadfoot. Just stay put and relax, I'll handle this. Besides, I won't be alone; I'll have Harley with me for close protection.' Emily chuckled, adjusting her headset and whistling sharply. Depositing her smaller charges safely beside Wheeljack and Perceptor, Emily swung into Harley's saddle, donned her helmet and scanned the team again. Everyone was nervous but they were trying to hide it, trying so hard to be strong for Emily as she faced off against a fairly intimidating opposing force. Signalling Harley with a squeeze, she shot out the side gate, Harley's code burst popping the side gate open for them.

Cruising out to where Mearing was waiting, Emily knew she was at a disadvantage but that wasn't going to stop her from making the blonde really regret coming anywhere near them. Swinging wide and kicking up the dirt, Harley growled in warning as he pulled up in front of the main group, Emily sitting up and yanking off her helmet but she didn't dismount.  
'Our agreement was that you would stay in Chicago. This is not Chicago.'  
'No, the original agreement, and I quote, we will stay in Chicago until Jazz and Ironhide are restored and returned to our ranks. There was nothing said about what would be done after that.'  
'Seeing as you are here, I can only assume that this restoration work was completed.'  
'Well yeah, we're back to full strength. Jazz!' Emily nodded, her call picked up and carried through the comms to where Jazz was crouching, waiting his turn.  
'S'up Emily? You howled for da Jazz-man?' he replied, rising smoothly and peering over the wall  
'Wow, he looks pretty good for a guy that's been dead for six years.' Lennox remarked, binoculars trained on Jazz's face.  
'Ratchet did a good job on him. But I still reckon our greatest achievement was rebuilding Ironhide. We didn't have a lot to work with but he's back.' Emily smirked, turning back to the compound. 'Ironhide!'  
'What am I blowin' up this time Em?' Ironhide asked, rising from his hiding spot and deploying his cannons.  
'No way. You actually did rebuild Ironhide from nothing but a download of his memories and his isolated spark.' Lennox breathed, staring in wonder at his old friend.  
'Between Ratchet, Que and the mechanical team loyal to me, it didn't take as long as anyone expected to have Ironhide ready for restoration. He's still not thrilled about how we did it but he's glad to have another chance.'  
'And just how did you do it?'  
'That's none of your business now is it Charlotte? Our methods are our own.' Emily snorted, gaze turning back to the CIA woman.  
'What about Bee? Is he okay Emily?' Sam asked, Carly tucking in against his side.  
'Bee's just fine Sam, he's settled in well and Ratchet's working on fixing his vocaliser properly. It's just a matter of finding or creating the right parts. Just call him, he's been worried about you.'  
'Thanks Emily.' Sam nodded, admiring the compound for a moment. 'Bumblebee!' he called, anxious to see the vibrant scout. Uncurling from his hiding place, Bumblebee straightened and waved at Sam, their friendship unbreakable.

Turning her focus back to Mearing, Emily went over her plan one more time, hoping against all odds that she could actually pull off what she was aiming for.  
'You will return the Autobots to N.E.S.T custody immediately.'  
'No, I won't Charlotte. You do not have the authority to give me orders like a common soldier. If you want the Autobots back, you have two choices. You either try and take this place by force and face the full strength of our defences or you get the President on the vid-link so we can talk this out face to face.'  
'The President has no time to discuss this with you. I am the Liaison, it's my say on what happens with the Autobots.'  
'Frankly Charlotte, we can stand here arguing for hours on end but it's not going to solve anything. You take one step closer to this compound and you will come under attack. You might think you're out of range, but you're not. I could have you killed right here but I won't, I want to see a peaceful resolution to this situation.'  
'Hand the Autobots over and those other creatures that were in Chicago and we'll leave you in peace.'  
'Not happening bitch. The Autobots and the Martians are under my protection now. You want them, come and get them. Or save us all the trouble and get in touch with the President.' Emily spat, a stray round from one of her snipers shattering the windscreen in the Hummer Mearing was standing beside. 'Like I said, you're not out of range yet bitch. When you're ready, the President can reach me on this vid-link connection.' she continued, handing over a sheet of paper with the connection details written out.

Shifting her seat a little, Emily turned her gaze back to Sam and Carly, not really surprised that they were both watching Bumblebee as he stood his ground behind the wall. As much as she knew it wasn't the right time, she'd promised Bee a chance to see Sam again.  
'This might take a while, you're both welcome to come inside and see how Bee's getting on. I'm sure he'd love to show you his new home, he's so proud of what he's got now.' she offered, ignoring the splutter from Mearing as another windscreen was shattered.  
'You really mean that Emily?'  
'Of course Sam. It's a security risk to let you in without proper clearance but it's a risk I can live with. I'll get Falcon to organise clearance for you once we're inside.'  
'But we won't all fit on your bike Emily.'  
'We don't have to Carly. Once I'm clear, Harley will take you both back to safety. Trust in him, he knows what he's doing. He's not quite as smart as an Autobot but he's not going to let you get hurt.' Emily grinned, climbing up onto the saddle and triggering something on her back. 'You know what to do Harley.' she nodded, one hand on the ring pull attached to her vest. Rumbling an answer, Harley bucked hard, sending Emily soaring into the air. Yanking the ring in her hand, she activated the wings on her back and streamlined her body, using subtle shifts of her weight to steer the aluminium and canvas wings on the thermals. Trilling softly, Harley moved in front of Sam and Carly, holding still as they mounted up before he raced back towards the compound.

Rolling again and folding in her wings, Emily touched down safely inside the high walls and folded the wings away into a neat little bundle on her back. Gate sliding aside to grant them entrance, Harley raced inside and skidded to a stop beside Bee, allowing his passengers to dismount.  
'Hey buddy, I missed you.' Sam grinned, taking Carly by the hand and climbing onto Bee's offered hand.  
'A promise is a promise Bee. I'll have Falcon bring up the security scanner so he can give these two their permanent access passes.' Emily nodded, touched by the gentle look Bumblebee gave her.  
'Anything I can't show them?' he asked, his voice still scratchy but it was improving.  
'Just take them back to your place for the time being Bee. Once Falcon's done the security stuff, you'll be able to show them around a bit more but remember what we discussed.'  
'I will Emily.' Bee nodded, setting the pair safely down and transforming before racing away, eager to show off his home.  
'Crazy kids.' Emily chuckled, triggering her secure radio. 'Falcon, I need you to head over to Bee's place. Sam and Carly are with him and need their restricted access passes. Blade, I'll need you up here too.'  
"On my way up Emily."  
"Heading your way Emily."

#~#+^*^+#~#

It was just after lunch when Mearing finally capitulated to Emily's demands, tired of being a target for the snipers somewhere inside the compound. Contacting the President, she arranged the vid-link and tried to get closer to inform Emily but a stray round right between her feet stopped her cold. Hoping he was right, Lennox put his weapon aside and moved forward, hands raised as he eased closer to the compound walls. He knew he looked a fool but he had to believe that Ironhide wouldn't let him get hurt by one of the snipers out there.  
'Lennox, freeze!' Ironhide called, holding out one hand to the soldier. 'The defences are targeted on you. One more step and you will be harmed fatally.'  
'Tell Emily the President is on the line!' Will shouted back, wisely withdrawing from the danger zone.  
'Just stay back, I will tell her.' Ironhide nodded, turning away from the wall. 'Emily, the President is on the line.'  
'Thanks Ironhide.'

Climbing up to perch on Optimus' chest, she removed her laptop from another of her pouches and got comfortable, Optimus wrapping one hand around her back for support and privacy. Coming in from the other side, Blade climbed up and settled beside Emily, just out of sight but in place to join the conversation when needed. Opening the link, she settled back and waited, gazing at the Presidential Seal on the screen before it faded out to reveal the President.  
'Good afternoon Mr President.' Emily greeted, adjusting the angle of the screen a little.  
"Good afternoon Sergeant Hunter."  
'Haven't been called that in a long time Sir. Not since Captain Schofield and I parted ways like we did.'  
"You were part of his team?"  
'Yes Sir, I was. I was there in Antarctica and Area 7.'  
"But you no longer serve with the Marines."  
'No Sir, I found my calling elsewhere.'  
"I am well aware of that. I should not be having this conversation with you but I am trying to find a diplomatic solution to this situation. The Autobots fall under N.E.S.T jurisdiction."  
'Mr President, I am not trying to take the Autobots from their duties, all I am offering is a place they can call home. I am not interested in turning the Autobots to my line of work, they are too honourable and noble for such behaviour. I only wish for them to have a place where they can be who they really are inside. Surely they've earned that right.'  
"I do not understand."  
'Just like everyone else, they have hobbies and pastimes that they enjoy. For example, Sunstreaker is a painter, he was well known back before the war ravaged their planet. He was considered as highly as we consider the greats such as Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso. Reproductions were worth small fortunes and to have an original was a mark of ultimate wealth. They all have their talents, their hobbies and they have longed to enjoy them again when they had time. Now they have time and privacy, a cultural explosion is happening. Last night I heard Jazz creating a symphony to honour his friends and it is more beautiful than anything ever heard on this planet before. Sunstreaker has dug out his art supplies and has a place set up to paint, he'll start as soon as the danger has passed again. They are not uncultured, despite what others might think.'  
"I find that hard to believe."  
'I am sending you a copy of a short musical piece Jazz created this morning. Listen well Mr President, the beauty is indescribable.' Emily nodded, attaching a USB drive and copying the file across. Sending it along the connection, she leant back against Optimus' hand and waited for the magic. 'Jazz!'  
'Yeah Emily?'  
'Play us that piece you wrote this morning, please. Make sure it's loud enough for the N.E.S.T soldiers to hear it.'  
'I'll have to stand up to send it out that far.'  
'All right, just be careful.'

Finding a suitable spot to play from, Jazz straightened and accessed the music system in the compound to help push the music out before opening the file he'd created earlier and letting it play. The rich notes blended and weaved together, an entire symphony at his control as he created something magical. There were no words to describe the music he created, it was powerful and yet peaceful, an unrestrained storm, a goodbye to the past and a look into the future all at once. Rising and falling, dancing and shifting to a rhythm as old as time itself, the song soared and crashed, pulling everyone into his world and showing them what he was all about. No one dared to break the magic of the music, everyone was still and silent, pulled together by the alien song reaching out to everyone. Woven together with a master's hands, the great testament to Jazz's abilities soared skyward again, a thousand notes pulled together in harmony as only he could.

Watching the President's face as he listened, Emily knew she'd caught his attention and wonder with Jazz's amazing talent for music. Nothing could compare, he'd outclassed every great classical musician and no symphony orchestra could hope to compete with the perfection of tone and pitch that Jazz could use.  
'Now you understand, don't you Sir?' Emily asked once the music had faded away into silence.  
"I do, thank you for opening my eyes. But this hardly explains why you still wish to maintain control of the Autobots."  
'I do not control them, Sir. They are free to do what they choose with their time. If they wanna chill out and watch TV, fine. Take a nap, that's cool. Go tearing up the ground outside the compound but still on my property, go right ahead. Laze under the trees and watch the clouds, by all means. I'm not restricting them at all, they can come and go as they please and make their spaces their own however they see fit. Just this morning Bumblebee asked if we could repaint his home instead of having it the same shining silver as all the others. We'll organise the supplies and start next week hopefully.'  
"You're not trying to control them, so why do you want the responsibilities of keeping the Autobots? It's quite expensive, judging by the reports that come across my desk."  
'It's easier to support Autobots if the base they are living on is properly set up for their requirements. We discussed the situation at length and established what would be needed to make their lives as easy as possible out here. This compound was built to those specs, everything organised and constructed to be easy for the Autobots to use and suitable for their long term comfort. Plenty of head space inside, easy corners on the road network, space to do their own things, enough distance between neighbours that they can stand tall without worrying about being seen and anything else they want or need to be happy.'  
"If I do make the choice to allow the Autobots to stay with you, what happens to our agreement? That they will help us as required in various military activities."  
'The agreement stands, they'll assist as requested so long as they are not asked to go against their beliefs. Attacking human facilities does not sit well with them, the Middle East incident is still a sore point with Optimus.'  
"I understand. You have given me much to consider Emily but there is another topic to discuss."  
'The Martians, I know. Their story isn't that different from the Autobots, they didn't travel as far but they can't go home either. I welcomed them into my life and home nearly ten years ago and have kept them safe and out of trouble ever since. There is nothing anyone can do that would make me hand them over to the likes of N.E.S.T or anyone else. I will fight to protect them, I will kill whoever I have to, to ensure they stay where they are, safe under my watch. They are a military unit in their own right, following the leadership of their Commanding Officer, Blade.'

Snuffling closer to Emily, Blade accepted the laptop and looked at the President, drawing strength from his friends as he faced his fears about their discovery on Earth.  
'Good afternoon Mr President. I am Brigadier-General Blade of Stand Alone Unit 14.' Blade offered, trying to recall the approximate equivalent to his own Martian rank.  
"Did I hear that correctly, Brigadier-General?"  
'Yes Mr President, you heard correctly. That is the closest human equivalent to my Martian rank.'  
"Just how many of your kind are on this planet?"  
'To my knowledge, 58 Martians are on Earth. There could be more, but I have not heard of any other units arriving. It would be worth my life to reveal more than that, Sir, The Martian War Council would not approve my actions.'  
"I find it very hard to believe that your planet is inhabited. There is no water, minimal atmosphere and our probes have detected nothing of your people."  
'Mars is a dying world, barely capable of sustaining life anymore. Once it was a beautiful world with oceans and a variety of flora and fauna but several large wars have severely damaged our planet. Now we live underground, struggling to survive and fend off yet another attack. We were sent to Earth to evaluate if we could set up colonies here but even that is now impossible.'  
"Yet you have not left Earth and returned to your world."  
'We are unable to return to Mars, our ship was destroyed when we crashed on Earth. Emily was kind enough to take us in, tend our wounds and allow us to share her Chicago home. We consider her our parton, our guardian against any that would seek to harm us. We will not leave Emily's protection, no matter what you throw against us but I will permit my Mechanic team to share some of our technology with N.E.S.T in return for being allowed to stay with Emily.'  
"Only some of your technology?"  
'Some of our technology requires abilities that humans do not possess, such as telepathy and mind-walking. We will share what we can in return for peace.'  
"This is a lot to take in all at once."  
'Take your time Mr President, we will be here. But in the meantime, could you tell Mearing to move her men back a bit more, my unit is getting very nervous. We have no open track to avoiding a fight, N.E.S.T has surrounded our only safe haven. Please Sir, make them move back and reform as one before this situation explodes.'  
"If I do this, what guarantee do I have that you will not attack?"  
'If my unit breaks their line and injures a human, I will personally step out and accept a return shot. Bullet for bullet if a human is harmed by any of my unit.'  
"Very well. I will do what I can."  
'Thank you. I will withdraw my defending snipers. They have been targeting vehicles only, just enough to warn away any attackers.' Blade nodded, triggering his radio. 'Snipers, lower your weapons. A truce has been called! SAU 14, return to the shared area!'  
"You heard him bros, weapons down!"  
'We are grateful for your show of faith Sir, hopefully we can all just live in peace.' Emily added, relaxing back against Optimus' hand. 'Martian, human and Autobot defending Earth from any who would come to bring us harm.'

Jumping a little when her wrist monitor beeped, Emily flipped to the marked channel and cursed as she gazed at the approaching fighter aiming right for their compound. Handing her laptop to Blade, she shot to her feet and scrambled down from Optimus' chest, racing across the grass with all speed. This was just the sort of a situation she'd hoped to avoid while things were so touchy. She'd have to look damn aggressive in front of N.E.S.T and risked blowing the temporary truce but there was no way in hell she was going to let that plane any closer. Shooting down the ladder into the hangers, she selected the fighter she wanted and fired it up, blasting from the hanger and out tunnel 4. Rolling the black and silver Strike Eagle over as she soared, she headed for the intercept, angling towards the equally dark plane making the approach.

Emerging from the hangers and gathering on the grass, the mice cheered as Emily raced after the Sukhoi, making her fighter dance to avoid a missile lock. Lifting their gazes skyward, the Autobots watched too, confused about Emily's actions but not willing to take their optics of the aerial battle to find a mouse to ask. So they watched, tracking the fighters as Emily tipped over and gave chase, determined to deal with the threat. Every time the unknown fighter turned back towards the compound, Emily was there to stop it, herding it away again. Swooping and rolling, diving and climbing, the pair engaged in a deadly dance around the compound, Emily always careful to keep her fighter between the Sukhoi and her compound. She was also alert to the N.E.S.T soldiers gathering to the west of her base, forcing the Sukhoi away from them as well to keep them safe and hopefully hold the truce. Forcing the Sukhoi to spiral clear again, she gunned it after him and spun, zipping right over the N.E.S.T defensive line and rising sharply again.

Finding new perches and thrilled to see Emily in her element, the mice hollered and cheered, supporting her in spirit and voice when they couldn't fly with her.  
'Blade, what's going on?' Optimus asked, the Martian leader cradled in his hand as he turned to follow the fighters.  
'The two men in that Sukhoi are some of Emily's competitors, they're looking to kill her to claim the price on her head. Emily's flying for her life, our homes and to keep us from being seen. Notice how she always strives to keep the enemy facing away from the compound? She's doing her absolute best to ensure we aren't seen even by chance.' Blade explained, grinning wider as Emily landed a few more hits to the attacking fighter.  
'Wouldn't it be smarter for us to take cover then?'  
'Probably but it's rare to see Emily free flying like this. Sure, she'll take to the skies occasionally and train with us but to see this is to get a look at her best form. She's not holding back anymore, she'll keep going until that Sukhoi is so much scrap or long gone.'  
'Killing the pilot in the process.'  
'That is the way of the Bounty Hunter. Kill or be killed, step up to the challenge or die a grizzly death in an ugly mess. With the price on her head, things are even more dangerous for Emily but she knows the dangers if she dies. No one will be left to care for us and so she flies time and time again. Now she flies for more than ever before, she flies for you as well Optimus, she flies for all Autobots, Martians and her own life.'  
'I think I understand.'  
'Emily's a complex woman to try and understand. Just know she's flying to keep us safe and enjoy the show.'  
'She does fly very well Blade.'  
'Lots of practise Optimus, she's at home up there. Her fighters are extensions of her body, mind and machine working as one.'  
'It's almost as though she's dancing, so graceful and elegant. A very deadly dance if the weapons I can see are anything to go by.'  
'She'll use them too, no doubt there. She's just waiting for the right moment to fire, trying to avoid us, the compound and the N.E.S.T soldiers. But when she gets that chance, she will shoot him down somewhere where they can't get back near us.'

Awed by the fighters overhead, Lennox watched the Strike Eagle force the Sukhoi back again and well clear of the compound and N.E.S.T positions before launching two missiles. Coiling and swirling towards the odd looking fighter, the missiles closed the distance quickly. Knowing they were not going to get away, two men ejected from the fighter seconds before the first missile impacted. When the second one hit the flaming carcass, the explosion was devastating, scattering shrapnel everywhere. Wings dipping in respect, the Strike Eagle whirled around again and headed back to the compound, disappearing from sight on the far side of the wall. Snapping out of his stupor, Lennox sent two hummers to find the ejected men and take them into custody, just in case they saw something they shouldn't have seen.

#~#+^*^+#~#

By dark the truce had been formalised and made official by the President. The Autobots would continue their associations with N.E.S.T, but would not be asked to risk human lives through their actions. The Martians were asked to pitch in with N.E.S.T operations, covering the gaps that the Autobots couldn't without risking their beliefs. Permitted to stay in Wisconsin and live their lives in peace, they were all left under Emily's care but that put some new responsibilities on her shoulders. Accepting the new workload willingly, Emily knew she'd have less time for her chosen career but the offer of government assistance was a boost. In return, N.E.S.T got access to some very interesting technology, mostly weapons and defences. The President had tried to get their AI tech in the deal but he couldn't offer anything good enough in return. Still the bargaining continued, the allied forces seeking the best deals they could without seeming greedy.  
'I'm offering fifteen N.E.S.T access passes to the compound. These ones won't require a retinal scan for their first use but after that, a retinal scan will be recorded to prevent any funny business.' Emily nodded, setting the pile of access cards in the middle of the table.  
'What do you want in return Emily?' Lennox asked, eyeing the pile and wondering what the catch was to get them.  
'There's one thing I'd stake our security on like this. Mr President, remove my bounty. I'll stay on whatever watch lists I'm on, those aren't a concern but remove the price on my head.' Emily replied, gaze turning to the screen displaying a rather shocked President.  
"What you ask for is worth more than fifteen access passes."  
'Twenty five passes then and that's my final bid. I'll take my role bounty or not but you have new ways of ensuring my behaviour now, you don't need that bounty any more.' Emily nodded, setting another ten passes on the table.  
"You have a point there Emily. Twenty passes and a signed agreement that if you attack against the US government again, you lose all access to the Martians and Autobots."  
'We have a deal Mr President.' Emily nodded, removing five passes from the table and signing one of the documents that had been drafted during the negotiations.

Hating the fact she'd just signed away a good portion of her potential work, Emily sighed and glanced at Blade, wanting to see if he had anything else he wanted to barter for.  
'I offer my AI expert to help you design your own system. We will give you the basics and assist with the programming but you must do the work to put the pieces together.'  
"What do you want in return for this trade?"  
'My request is simple Mr President. I request a new CIA liaison. Charlotte Mearing is not acceptable.'  
"Unacceptable to you personally or to everyone within the compound?"  
'You will not find a single being within the compound with anything positive to say about her. Her attitude would be a severe detriment to the ongoing peace between our peoples. Not to mention the fact Emily's likely to shoot her at the next available moment. Is that enough or need I continue, Sir?'  
"No Blade, your point has been made. I will try to find someone that will suit your needs."  
'Mr President, I have considered the situation and I think I know someone that will suit. Instead of trying to find someone that can balance everything, split the responsibilities. One to watch out for any issues regarding national security and a second to look over us and ensure any policies would not have a negative effect on all of us. I trust Emily to defend our rights as living beings but she already has so much to worry about to ask her would be cruel.'  
"A wise idea Blade, but finding two people that bear no animosity towards either Martians or Autobots will not be easy."  
'Actually Sir, it's simple. Colonel Lennox takes over the military side, ensuring national security is not at risk. Mr Witwicky is more than capable of handling the politics, he has the mind for it and I know he's been having a hard time finding suitable employment.'  
'Oh boy, Sarah's going to hate this.' Lennox uttered, stunned by Blade's suggestion and wondering if the President would agree.  
'I'm not sure I'm the right fit for the job Blade. I did well at political science at school but putting all that into practise…yikes.' Sam added, paling at the thought of dealing with politicians on behalf of so many.  
'I have faith in you Sam, you'll do a great job. Protecting the best interests of the Martians is easy, they don't need much to be happy. Basically they want the same as the Autobots.' Emily soothed, shooting him a supportive smile.  
"If both Mr Witwicky and Colonel Lennox agree, then we have a deal Blade."  
'I'll do it Mr President.' Sam nodded, glancing at Carly as she waited back with the rest of the gathering.  
'I accept the position Mr President.' Lennox agreed, knowing his job just got a lot harder and family time harder to get.  
"Very well. You have a deal Blade."  
'You can't do this!' Mearing snapped, shooting to her feet.  
'With your permission, Mr President?' Emily asked, rising slowly to her feet.  
"Just don't kill her Emily."  
'Not intention of it Sir.' Emily replied, eyes hardening as Mearing tried to make a break for one of the parked vehicles.

Sprinting after the woman, Emily ate up the distance in seconds and got Mearing into a sleeper hold, knocking the woman out without any real effort. Lowering her to the ground gently and binding her wrists with a zip-tie from her kit, Emily dragged the woman back to the table and eased her to the ground until the meeting was over.  
'Don't worry Mr President, she'll be fine. She'll sleep for a couple hours and then be as bitchy as always.'  
"I will ensure she cannot get involved with this alliance anymore. Colonel Lennox, if you would be so kind as to return her to Diego Garcia, I will have someone there to collect her."  
'Of course, Sir. I have two others that will need to be collected and dealt with. An unidentified fighter of unknown origin came to close to the compound, Emily flew up to meet the threat and shot it down. We have two men in custody.'  
'The plane was a Sukhoi SU-37, a Russian prototype sold off to an American Bounty Hunter. Piloted by Rufus, an ex-NightStalker. Used by the Black Knight, AKA Aloysius K. Knight, ex-Delta Captain.' Emily briefed, that hard edge returning to her eyes for a moment. 'Competitors of mine, we've traded blows more than a few times.'  
"Ah yes, I remember reading his file. He had a bounty of his own, you know."  
'I know Sir, tried for it on several occasions until it was removed. I know Scarecrow had something to do with it, even if I can't find out what exactly.'  
"Well here is your chance to deal a final blow to them Emily. If they did see anything that they shouldn't have, what do you want done with them?"  
'Don't really care, Sir. If they saw something, it's Lennox's problem. I trashed their fighter, it's so much scrap now. That's good enough for me, I don't need anything more.' Emily shrugged, responding to an alert on her wrist monitor. 'Correction, their fighter is so much gathered scrap now. Blade's mechanical team has collected up the debris with help from Ratchet and are now transporting it to the compound for sorting and storage. If there's anything useful to be had, they'll find it.'  
"You have a salvage yard in that compound as well?"  
'Well, in a way, yes Sir. Between Ratchet, Que, the Wreckers and the Martian mechanical team, they'll have that fighter stripped for anything useable in a few days. Anything that can't be used as it is will be melted down and formed into ingots for later use. The various workshops and repair bays use quite a lot of scrap for various projects. No one will ever find that particular fighter again.'  
"Most impressive."  
'An added prize for your negotiations, Sir.' Emily grinned, flipping out a different access card. 'A Presidential access card, come see us whenever you have a chance.' she added, placing the card on the table.  
"Thank you Emily. I will make time to visit, but you know my security team will come along too."  
'Of course, five free cards for a personal security force.' Emily agreed, placing five more cards on the table and placing the Presidential card atop the pile.

Approaching the tent over the negotiation table, Christine cleared her throat quietly before approaching and placing several covered trays on the table.  
'Let the business talks go silent for a while, eat and restore your strength. Be at peace Colonel Lennox, your men will be well cared for, we have already begun feeding the masses.' she offered, her catering team gathered at her sides.  
'Thanks Christine, this smells great. Tell Slash to organise bedding for all, it's the least we can offer our new friends.' Blade nodded, handing around the bowls as Emily lifted the covers off the trays.  
'As instructed Blade.' Christine nodded, backing away and sending Cosmo and Crash with orders for Slash and Dakota.  
'This looks really good Blade.'  
'Christine's our Catering head and she's good at her job. Eat up my friends, tonight we share a feast of friendship.' Blade replied, gathering a selection of different items into his bowl and waiting for his companions to finish their selections.  
'As friends we gather at this table, so many different life stories pulled together by a common goal. Join me brothers, in this feast, a celebration of all we have achieved this day.' Emily offered, leaning on her right hand as she used her left to eat.  
'Left hand to eat…well that's different.' Lennox mused, switching hands quickly and tucking into the offered food.  
'We keep our right hands clear and free just in case we come under attack while sharing a meal.' Blade explained, eyes constantly on the move as they ate. 'I am aware of the Arabic ideas of eating with the hands, disgusting what they use the left hand for.'  
'Blade, hardly a topic for this table.' Emily hissed, trying to steer the conversation back onto safe diplomatic ground.  
'Of course. My apologies, my bros discuss some fairly crude things at the dinner table.'

Picking their way through the long grass, Brains and Wheelie had no compunction about interrupting. They knew what they wanted and were confident Emily would have no qualms about it.  
'Uh, Emily, little help out here please.' Wheelie called, Brains tugging on his hand in an attempt to get his wheels unstuck.  
'I've got you.' Emily grinned, getting to her feet and walking over to gently untangle Wheelie from the grass before scooping them both up. 'Well done for having a go on your own.' she praised, sweeping Wheelie onto her shoulders and cradling Brains in her right arm as she returned to the table.  
'How are you coping with those two Emily? I remember the headaches I used to get when they bugged Carly.' Sam asked, sipping his coke and smiling as he glanced over to where Carly was talking with some of the mice.  
'Coping, hell, I'm thriving with the company. As for these two, they're great. It's like having kids, nothing to it once you get the hang of it.' Emily chuckled, totally at home with the pair so close while she ate. 'What'd you think of Bee's setup?'  
'It's great, he seems really happy with it Emily. He gave us the grand tour and we watched TV for a while. I'm not sure I want to know where you found some of the stuff he's got in there though.'  
'It's all custom built, I sent the specs to several companies I've had dealings with before. They built and shipped the stuff to base. A lot of the fittings were done before we put the upper walls and roofs into place so it was easy to get the positioning right.'  
'Uh, excuse me but what are you guys talking about?' Lennox asked, gaze flicking between Emily and Sam.  
'The new Autobot accommodations.' Sam replied, picking a few more items off the trays and settling back to eat.  
'Those really big sheds you can see are where the Autobots are living. Each one is a single bedroom apartment, complete with insulation in the walls and ceiling, air-con, heating, lights and all the comforts of home. Building housing for Autobots is really easy, all you need is a suitable sized shower, bed, desk, chair, couch and TV. Everything is custom built to the size of the particular occupant or occupants. I'm sure Ironhide would show you his place if you asked him about it. Just bear in mind, he's sharing with Ratchet by their own choice. Seven of the homes are empty, just in case we have any more new arrivals joining the ranks.' Emily explained, drawing attention to the massive sheds inside the walls.  
'And my unit has our own housing estate just beside the Autobot estate. 29 identical homes arranged neatly for us to stay close but still enjoy our own space. By making the design the same for every house, it was so simple for the builders to put them up within the allowed timeframe.' Blade added, picking up his coffee mug. 'It's a change from the barracks style living we're used to we'll adapt to the new lifestyle and thrive again.'  
'Everything that could be needed is right here or could be created if enough want it. Up the back there is a racing track, requested by some of the mice but big enough for anyone to have a go, a jumps track for all, a pool and lake all in one and a wash bay if someone feels like being pampered.' Emily continued, tucking Brains closer and watching him relax for a few moments before going back to her meal contentedly.  
'Told them about Ratchet yet?' Wheelie asked, leaning on her head comfortably.  
'Not my place Wheelie and it's not yours either so stow it before I make you walk home. That's his business and he'll speak of it when he's ready. Until then, zip it.' Emily growled, tapping his leg with her chin in warning. 'And don't you guys go pressuring him either, he'll tell you when he's ready.' she added, gaze turning to their other table guests.  
'Don't look at me Emily, I've got enough on my plate without worrying about pissing Ratchet off.' Lennox replied, holding up his hands in surrender.  
'I heard nothing.' Sam nodded, turning his attention back to his food.  
'Smart move, Ratchet's a little easier to annoy lately.' Emily sighed, constantly alert for danger but satisfied with the situation so far. 'Ironhide's gotten feisty too, he's already clobbered the twins twice since we arrived.'  
'You only got here yesterday though.'  
'Told ya he'd gotten feisty Lennox.'  
'Holy shit.'

Whirling to look as a wordless roar echoed across the area, the four left the table and raced out of the tent, staring in wonder as Ironhide took off after Sideswipe, tires biting into the grass. Sideswipe was easily outpacing him, his smaller frame more streamlined but the rough ground wasn't exactly a picnic for him.  
'Optimus! What the fuck happened?' Blade called, spotting the reclining leader nearby. Sam and Will both jumped as Optimus' holoform appeared beside Blade, hair shifting in the breeze. 'Relax, it's just a holoform. Optimus showed it to me last night.'  
'Sideswipe made a comment regarding the announcement Ratchet made last night. Ironhide's just doing what comes naturally in such situations.' Optimus explained, tucking a lock of hair back behind his ear. 'We all have this ability, we just haven't used them much. I was curious about what it was like to be a Martian.' he shrugged, tail twitching as he stood there.  
'After being beaten up twice by Ironhide, you'd think those two would learn to keep their mouths shut. This isn't going to end well and Ratchet's not likely to repair them again today.' Emily sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.  
'Sideswipe's in for a world of hurt, here comes Falcon.' Blade grinned, watching the taller mouse as he raced into action, a new tool in his hands as he stood up on Armageddon's saddle.  
'Oh shit. Watch the walls Falcon!' Emily bellowed, not wanting to fork out for repairs this soon after moving into the compound.

Raising his new toy onto his shoulder, Falcon moved with Armageddon as she swept around and blocked Sideswipe from getting any closer to the walls of the compound. Drawing his aim and checking the charge of the unit, Falcon hit the trigger button. Sparking in the dim light, the two released forks raced towards Sideswipe and struck him in the side, a charge racing along the connecting wires. This was the true danger of the weapon, the right charge level could force a transformation and with the speed Sideswipe was going, this was going to be painful. Squawking in disbelief, Sideswipe transformed without wanting to and tumbled and bounced across the ground, helpless to control his motion until he slowed a little more. Snatches of input from his sensors gave him a warning but there was no way he'd stop in time. Releasing the prongs and pulling away, Falcon watched and winced as the warrior slammed into the biggest tree in the field.

Crunching to the ground and groaning, Sideswipe lay there and tried to get his systems back in line and giving him one cohesive image. He wasn't having any luck though, everything was scrambled and showed no signs of calming any time soon.  
'When are you gonna learn Sideswipe. No one messes with the peace of the base while I'm in charge.' Falcon warned, pulling up beside the downed warrior. 'You deserved that one. Next time you'll get a full charge.' he added, turning Armageddon back towards the main gathering.  
'Ugh.' Sideswipe groaned, unable to even lift his head.  
'Sides!' Sunstreaker called, racing over to drop beside his twin. 'You okay bro?'  
'Shut it Sunny.' Sideswipe managed, groaning again as Sunstreaker eased him away from the tree and supported him.  
'Easy bro, I've got ya. Just relax, give it time.' Sunstreaker uttered, light hands running over dented plating.

Pulling up beside Emily and Blade, Falcon nodded and patted the unit on his lap, quite pleased with the results of their newest prototype. Popping off the expended top, he tucked it into the bag over his shoulder and dug out a fresh one, snapping it into place and checking it was secured properly.  
'For a first prototype, it's not bad. Be better if we could control where the victims land but we'll work that out in the safe confines of the lab.' he briefed, always keeping one hand on their prototype.  
'The control issue is a definite, impacts like that aren't good for anyone. Reckon Sideswipe learned his lesson this time?' Blade nodded, glancing at Optimus to search for any irritation at the use of such a tool against an Autobot.  
'Dunno, he was out of it when I pulled up. Of all the things he could have impacted against, he happened to impact against the tree you left in case Optimus wants to get away from the compound a little.'  
'Oh man, he's going to be feeling that one for a long time. That tree is massive.' Emily groaned, remembering the tree she'd left behind for Optimus to use as his little getaway if he needed to. 'But at least the chase ended before it got seriously dangerous.'  
'Just doing my job Emily.' Falcon replied, two fingers to his forehead in a salute. 'You left me as Head of Security for a reason.' he grinned, adjusting his seat and signalling for Armageddon to peel out and head back home.  
'Don't look so stunned Will, Falcon's the best in the business. Just this morning he went toe to toe with Ironhide and made him back off Sunstreaker. He wasn't quick enough to protect Sideswipe's finish but it was still impressive. He might be a fraction of the size but Falcon's got courage in spades, he won't settle for anything but obedience.' Emily grinned, cradling Brains to her chest and watching over the team as the mice started filing back towards the compound. 'Looks like the guys are preparing for bed.'  
'Slash, sitrep!' Blade called, seeking his little brother in the darkness.  
'We've set out camping gear for everyone, the waterproof sheeting is rigged just over there and Dakota's got the camp rolls for Will and Sam.' Slash replied, pointing behind him as he jogged past the tent.  
'Dakota, front and centre!'  
'Here Blade.' Dakota replied, running up and handing over the camp rolls.  
'I'd offer you a spot for the night but for your own safety, find a place with the rest of the N.E.S.T team out here. We can offer you a place to secure the three problems you've got, Falcon insisted on a ten cell brig.' Emily offered, looking back to where Mearing was just stirring.  
'I'd appreciate that Emily, takes a bit of a load off us.'  
'Security!' Emily called, searching for one of the security team in the darkness.  
'Right here Emily.' Bits responded, racing over to assist.  
'On scene.' Chain added, skidding in beside Bits.  
'You called?' Tank asked, joining his bros in front of Emily.  
'Lennox has three problems that need dealing with. You know what to do.' Emily instructed, shifting Brains into her left arm and welcoming Wheelie into her embrace as he slid off her shoulders. 'I will see you all in the morning.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Emerging from their homes as the first rays of dawn lightened the sky, the mice hurried to the grassed area beyond their homes and lined up, facing to the east and pausing, faces turned to the heavens as they started to move in perfect harmony. Moving, turning, reaching and stretching, they went through the ancient dawn greeting together, reaffirming their union as a team and honouring their gods. Deep voice rumbling into life, Blade started an honour chant, naming their gods and asking for their blessings in every aspect of their lives. Picking up the chant, the rest of the unit maintained their stately pace and places in the formation, voices rising and falling as they continued slowly turning and moving through the complex steps every Martian learned from a young age. Swirling as one body and throwing their prayers into the still morning air, they asked for guidance and protection, support and wisdom, and all the other things that they needed to face another day with confidence.

Stepping from his own place, Optimus paused and watched the shadowy figures moving and listened to their voices, recognising a prayer even if he couldn't understand the words. Hoping he wasn't going to disturb the mice, he made his way down the road and onto the grass, finding a spot well away from the mice and easing to one knee. Removing an intricately cared metal ornament from subspace, he placed it carefully on the ground and sat back, optics focused on the glowing stone in the middle of the curving and angular design. Hands folding and weight settling, he bowed his head and prayed silently to his own god, the reflection of his small shrine dancing across his paint as the dawn broke over the compound. He asked for guidance and strength and some sign that they weren't alone in the universe. He gave up his struggles and inner turmoil, placing his faith once more in the hands of Primus in the hopes of easing the burden weighing him down.

Slowly the rest of the Autobots made their appearances, gathering behind Optimus and setting up their own personal shrines, each one symbolic of their places in the grand story of Cybertron. Warriors, scientists and healers, all were represented in softly glowing stones and ornate metal sculptures. They prayed for hope and a future without war. They prayed for their still functioning friends and those who had already gone to the Well of All Sparks. They asked for blessings upon their friends on Earth and still out in the wider galaxy. Releasing their burdens and fears, opening up for His loving presence and begging forgiveness, they were quiet, a million thoughts unvoiced but still heard by Primus.

Bowing deep to the rising sun, the Martian team slowly straightened and opened their arms to the caress of the sun for a minute before turning and catching sight of the praying Autobots. Not wanting to seem disrespectful, Blade stopped cold and thought for a moment before sinking to his knees, averting his gaze from the glowing objects in front of the Autobots. Taking his lead, the rest of the unit eased down and bowed their heads, respecting the Autobots without question. Reaching into his pocket, Blade removed the small stone figure he always carried and cupped it in his hands, raising it overhead so the sun could kiss the physical representation of his Patron God, Ares. Understanding that today would be a full prayer session, the rest of the unit revealed their own Patron God statuettes and let the sun bless them before bowing their heads and praying again. Stone figures pressed to foreheads, the prayers changed to more personal matters, each one varying for their duties and personal situations. 

Not sure what had awoken her, Emily rolled out of bed and shouldered into her dressing gown before padding out onto the balcony. The moment she saw why the door was open though, she quietly slipped back inside, not wanting to disturb an obviously private moment as Wheelie and Brains knelt there in front of two strange artefacts. She wasn't sure what drew her to do it, but she opened one of the drawers in her dressing table and opened one of the jewellery cases tucked inside. Slipping her dogtags off and putting them in a waiting velvet bag, she lifted out a different necklace and clasped it around her throat, fingers brushing the golden crucifix now draped around her neck. Padding back out onto the balcony, she moved to the other end and knelt, arms resting on the lower bar of the balcony railing as she prayed, something she hadn't done in years.

For a few silent minutes, the compound was at peace with the universe, not a single dark thought left to destroy the serene moment that touched everyone. Instead they opened up to miracles and hope, three different beliefs united and carried forward in harmony. Releasing anger and welcoming in calming thoughts, asking for forgiveness and forgiving others and begging for support and guidance, the world stood still as the prayers flowed heavenward, so many hopeful voices reaching. Some weren't sure if they were heard, others had never lost their faith but all we're determined to change for the better. Praying for strength to turn away from violence unless necessary, trying to make their lives count and hoping that they were on the right track.

Then the peaceful moment was gone, prayers finished and everyone started thinking about the day ahead. Packing away shrines to Primus and Patron God statuettes, the united team stood and watched the sunrise together for a few moments before they started drifting away, getting back to other duties that awaited them. They all had questions about the others beliefs but now wasn't the time to ask, now was the time for silent reflection and preparation for another day. Up on the balcony, Emily pushed to her feet and brushed her crucifix again, feeling more confident about her new responsibilities now that she'd had a chance to ask for help. Looking down and smiling as someone brushed her leg, she crouched and gathered her smallest charges into her arms and headed back inside, smile widening as they burrowed closer to ease the chill in their frames. Sliding the door closed, she put the pair on the bed and stretched out, blanket raised in welcome. Scooting closer, they huddled in against her body and relaxed, safe in the warm embrace of Emily and her blanket.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Once the N.E.S.T soldiers left their home, the team relaxed and got back into the swing of things now that they were free to enjoy the sun a little more. Emily had requested that the mechanical team make an adjustment to their shielding, making the compound vanish from all detection. To anyone beyond the boundary, it looked like any other farm in the area but once you got past that barrier, the true image was revealed. The shield also contained sound energy, meaning everyone could open up their engines and go wild without worrying too much about being seen. All they had to do was stay within the shield and everything would be fine. But that didn't mean the repercussions of their negotiations were all pushed aside.

Hidden away in his home, Wheelie stood under the shower and frowned as the last of his fur was caught in the trap just shy of the drain. The darkness before the dawn had hidden his problem until now but sticking his head out again now that his problem couldn't be hidden was unthinkable, he didn't want the Autobots to pity him for this. Turning off the shower and stepping out, he dried off his pale skin and looked at the bodysuit waiting for him. Dyed to match his fur and fitting like a second skin, it would protect him from sunburn or other dangers but it was so uncomfortable to wear. Looking in the mirror again, he sighed and dug deep for courage, tired of hiding his unique condition. Turning away from the bodysuit, he dressed in his usual outfit and slathered on the sunscreen, figuring if he was going to crash and burn, he might as well do it proudly.

Grabbing his emergency hat on the way out the door, he held his head proud as he rejoined the gang on the lawn, wisely finding a shady spot and flicking out a towel to protect his skin. Stretching out and getting comfortable, he sighed and adjusted his hat, enjoying the warmth over bare flesh.  
'Wheelie, are you okay?' Ratchet asked, easing out onto the grass beside him.  
'Yeah, it's nothing serious. I've got a condition called alopecia, this is the end result. It's usually caused by stress but sometimes it just happens. This bout came around thanks to the N.E.S.T situation yesterday. Doesn't take long for it all to drop all my fur, as you can see. It'll start growing back tomorrow hopefully but it's going to take around a month to get back to full length and my hair will take even longer.' Wheelie explained, accepting the curious scan Ratchet ran over his body.  
'Not again babe.' Crimson uttered, stretching out beside Wheelie and cuddling close.  
'Only to be expected babe, yesterday wasn't a smooth, stress free day.' Wheelie shrugged, snuggling closer to his mate and relaxing into his loving arms. 'I won't stay outside all day, I just wanted to soak up the sun for a little while.'  
'You know I'm not going to argue. Convincing Revs might be a little more difficult.'  
'Feh, he knows I'm not an indoor type. He can try and argue the case but I'm not gonna hide away.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Scrambling into the tree Optimus was leaning against, Blade perched on a branch near his head and swung over backwards, tail and legs gripping the branch to ensure he didn't fall off his perch. Chuckling softly as he watched the young leader, Optimus reached up to support him but Blade waved him off, content to hang there and enjoy a chance to be a fool.  
'I hope we did not disturb you this morning Blade.'  
'Not at all. We have never made a secret of our beliefs, I'm sure you've heard a few mentions of them during our time together.'  
'Yes, Ares seems to come up fairly frequently.'  
'Yeah, Ares is the main one. The great Lord of the Gods. In total we've got thirty main Gods and an army of Demigods, Saints and other figures. Every aspect of Martian life is ruled by our Gods, we pray to all that affect our individual lives for a balanced life. When we're born, our parents pray to Renla, Goddess of Children, for a sign to tell them which main Deity is going to watch over their child for their entire life. I was born into the protective embrace of Ares, Slash is protected by Tekka, Goddess of Travellers.'  
'We have only one, Primus. He is the Lifegiver and the Protector of the Well, our heaven. He is everything to our people, but certain factions turned their back on his teachings. The Autobots hold true to his teachings, as difficult as that can be at times. It is quite difficult to try and stop the Decepticons without breaking his sacred laws.'  
'Emily has similar problems balancing her work with the teachings of her religion. Sometimes there is no easy answer, no matter how hard we seek. Often the best option is to sin without reservation and pay your penance when the battle is over. It's not easy to be a soldier and a believer, the sacred texts of the past aren't always right for modern situation.'

Crunching up and retrieving his Ares statuette from his pocket again, Blade cradled the stone form and stretched back out again, the shimmering stone catching the light and sending it bouncing over Optimus' armour.  
'Great Ares, guardian of Mars and protector of all, I beseech you to hear my prayer. I ask not for my own soul, I ask not for my unit, I ask for a soul that has never known you guiding hand. Merciful Ares, open your arms and let your unending grace flow into him and ease the burdens pressing upon his shoulders. I beg of you to show him the narrow path between the beliefs he had known since his creation and the war that he must fight just to survive. Guide his hands and sharpen his gaze so he might do his duties without fault or fear. Protect him in your majestic presence and keep him from harm. Fill him with your courage and strength as he faces challenges unknown to mere mortals. In your all powerful name, these things I pray.' he intoned, totally focused on the glistening stone in his hands.

Humbled by Blade's words, what happened next was truly breathtaking, even for someone as well travelled as Optimus. A beam of sunlight broke through the clouds and struck the statuette in Blade's hands but rather than diffuse like normal, it reflected off the statuette and struck him in the forehead. Optics dimming as he relaxed, Optimus felt the warmth radiating through his body, easing tension and cascading down slowly. As the warmth spread through his body, it lifted the silent burdens from his mind and eased his concerns in rippling, calming motions. Sagging a little more, he hummed in contentment and drifted, welcoming the peace that settled in his great frame.  
'I believe.' he muttered, totally relaxed and peaceful. 'I believe in your power, oh great Ares.'

Gradually the warmth tapered off, leaving behind the calming influence as a constant reminder of the blessing placed upon him. Optics brightening again, he lifted his gaze and nodded slowly, a new understanding of Martian culture secure in his mind.  
'We thank you, merciful Ares.' Blade uttered, crunching up again and tucking his statuette away in his pocket.  
'That was…'  
'I don't need to hear it Optimus. Our gods come to us in different ways and each special blessing is deeply personal. Think on your own blessing, meditate on what has been removed and what was left instead. There you will find peace and comfort no matter the trouble you face.' Blade cut him off, swinging up onto the branch and starting to shimmy down the trunk.  
'I understand Blade.'


	12. Shaken Up Again

Slipping into a private workroom on the third floor of her home, Emily hit the lights and looked at the body on the table, wondering what Ratchet would say when he found out she'd salvaged most of another fallen Decepticon, spent all her off hours rewriting his programming and repairing his body, building him up from scraps she's pilfered from the parts sheds. Keeping his existence a secret hadn't been easy, she'd wanted to ask for help and show off her work to Ratchet but not wanting to risk the life of her new charge, she'd stayed quiet. Scrubbing her hands and drying them carefully, she approached the table and checked the sensors and monitors attached to the small body, smile widening as she noted down his improved condition since she'd hooked him into the electrical system. That was only a temporary measure, she'd eventually have to wean him onto energon but there was no telling how that would affect his new systems.

Picking up another new device in her workshop, she fitted it into place around her throat and lower jaw, the complex piece of machinery specifically designed to translate her words into something Frenzy's immature processor could understand. A second section of the unit stretched up and locked over her left ear, completing a translation system that would enable effective communication with Frenzy. Disconnecting him carefully, she lifted him into her arms and activated his restart, waiting so patiently as his systems hummed into life for the first time. Watching the couple of monitors still attached, her smile only widened as his dark optics flickered and glowed bright, deep green light washing over her face instead of the usual blue. Chirping curiously, the lucky one in her arms looked up at her and seemed confused, delicate helm tilted to the side.  
'Hey there Frenzy.' she uttered, removing the last monitors and wandering over to a chair in the corner. Trilling and squirming, the little guy reached up with one clawed hand and clicked in confusion as Emily caught his hand before lightly placing it on her face. Hoping the translation program was working properly, she spoke quietly as she guided him to stroke her cheek. Click-chittering in reply, Frenzy touched her face one last time before lowering his hand.

Snuggling closer to Emily's chest, Frenzy purred and got comfortable, lanky limbs tucked close as he drifted contentedly in her secure hold. Adjusting her hold and stroking his plating, Emily couldn't wipe the proud smile off her face. She'd done the impossible, Frenzy was alive despite all the damage done and the length of time he'd been offline. Her biggest achievement though, was the fact she'd needed no outside help to do it, it was all her work. Now that she had Frenzy alive and seemingly functioning well, she needed help. This was going to be the scary moment; she had no way of telling how Ratchet would handle the shock of her project or how Frenzy would react to seeing the Autobots. Click-trilling softly to calm the small form in her arms, she turned off the lights and left the work bay, Frenzy purring peacefully in her arms. Chirruping back contentedly, Frenzy looked around, realising they were on the move. Hum-buzzing a question, he was rewarded with a gentle boost from Emily and perched on her shoulder, clawed feet clinging to her shoulder gently as he sat up and looked around curiously.

Striding from the house and coding through the gate, Emily was continually surprised by how inquisitive little Frenzy was. Bobbing on her shoulder and looking around, he absorbed the details of their home. Trilling softly to comfort him, Emily headed towards the first building in the Autobot estate, the home of Ratchet and Ironhide. Stepping inside, she headed up the steel stairway by the door and looked around, seeking out the medic. Not seeing his bright paintwork anywhere, she headed back down to ground level and back outside, Frenzy still perched high and buzz-clicking rapidly. Swinging out of the estate and picking up the pace a little, Emily jogged between the two estates, one hand up to support Frenzy but he didn't seem to need it.

Scanning the grassed area quickly, there was still no sign of Ratchet but before she could move off, she was spotted. Not wanting to seem rude and curious to know how Frenzy would go around so many strangers, she headed over to where Prowl and Jazz were relaxing together.  
'Morning guys.' she greeted, one eye on Frenzy as she walked closer.  
'Mornin' Emily.' Jazz replied, not really bothered by the little one on Emily's shoulder, he was so used to seeing Wheelie up there. Frenzy however, wasn't happy about something. Leaning forward on Emily's shoulder, he hissed and flared out his armour, Emily's brave defender despite his small size.  
'Hush now little one, its okay. Settle down, they're my friends.' Emily soothed, reaching up to stroke his chest lightly as she calmed him through the translator. 'You're so brave to defend me but they're not a threat.'  
'Emily, what is that?' Prowl asked, one hand on Jazz's back to calm him after the fright.  
'Long story Prowl. Seen Ratchet anywhere?' Emily replied, temporarily forgetting about her translator.  
'Repair bay, he's been in there all morning.'  
'Thanks Prowl. I'll explain this one later.'  
'Interesting piece of hardware you've got there Em.' Jazz remarked, optics drawn to the intricate systems covering a third of Emily's head and enfolding her neck. 'What's it for?'  
'It's a very complex little translator. There are a few more components to get into it but they're not ready yet.' Emily explained, activating the translator again. 'It's still a basic model but we'll get there.'  
'Why would you need such a thing Emily?' Prowl asked, still watching Frenzy as he kept looking around.  
'Ease of communication with Frenzy. It works both ways, English for Cybertronian. Some words don't translate yet but we're getting there. The dangers of working with prototypes.' Emily shrugged, reaching up to stroke Frenzy's chest again. 'I'll talk more later, got more pressing concerns right now.'

Entering the repair bay, Emily looked around in confusion, not seeing a trace of the brightly coloured Autobot medic. That was really strange, usually if Ratchet was in the repair bay, he'd be immediately visible to anyone that needed help. Almost as if he knew, Frenzy scrambled inside Emily's heavy jacket and hugged her side, purring softly as Emily wrapped her arm around his back.  
'Ratchet! Where are you?' she called, hitting the walkways on the fly. 'Ratchet!'  
'What is it Emily? What's the emergency?' Ratchet asked, emerging from the OR at a jog. 'What is that on your face?'  
'No emergency, I've been looking for you. I thought we had the repair bay organised properly. As for this, I'll explain in a just a minute. We have other matters to discuss first.'  
'I was just doing some maintenance and cleaning.' Ratchet replied, slowing and stopping beside her. 'What can I do for you?'  
'I need your help with a project I've been working on for quite a long time. Call it quality control.' Emily grinned, flipping her jacket open and drawing Ratchet's attention down. Chirring nervously, Frenzy tried to hide again but Emily slid her jacket off, taking away his refuge. 'Come on Frenzy, you're going to have to face the doctor sooner or later.'

Whistle-clicking again, Frenzy poked his head over Emily's shoulder and hissed, clearly not impressed with this new threat as he ducked back down out of sight.  
'Where'd you find a sparkling Emily?' Ratchet asked, recognising the behaviour as a newly formed sparkling.  
'I didn't find him, I saved him. When I get him to sit still and submit to a medical scan, you'll see what I mean.' Emily sighed, reaching behind her back and managing to snag Frenzy's scruff bar. 'I've got you now Frenzy.'  
'Let him go Emily, I've got another plan. He's never going to be comfortable facing me if he's constantly nervous. This should calm him down and help him understand I'm a friend.' Ratchet corrected, walking over to one of the dark jars on the shelves as Frenzy peered timidly over Emily's shoulder.

Digging a brown stick out of the jar, Ratchet crossed the room again and offered it out to Frenzy, twitching it occasionally to coax him to take it. Inching up Emily's back, Frenzy looked at the offered item and trilled, ducking out of sight again. Scrunching down a little, Ratchet tried to seem as unthreatening as possible and continued his attempts to coax Frenzy out of hiding. Trilling again, Frenzy climbed up a little more and reached out to take the treat, delicate fingers closing around the peace offering. Tugging it gently, Ratchet managed to get Frenzy perched on Emily's shoulder properly before he relaxed his own grip. Chirping happily, Frenzy settled and started munching, purring softly as Emily looked up at him.  
'Do I want to know what you gave him?' she asked, gently lifting Frenzy off her shoulder and resting him on the railing, her hands never leaving his plating.  
'Rust stick, our candy. Works a treat for nervous first timers or stubborn glitches that won't come in for repairs when needed. Used to be Ironhide's thing but now I always need a supply on hand to get Prime in for repairs.' Ratchet explained, scanning Frenzy and going over the first results. 'Well, this is interesting.'  
'What, the fact he's built from the original or the fact I wrote a lot of his programming?' Emily chuckled, not really surprised when Frenzy curled closer to her chest.  
'Both of those, this work is most impressive Emily.' Ratchet replied, running a deeper scan and nodding slowly. 'I do not see any anomalies, his frame is solidly constructed and his spark is strong.'

Finishing his treat, Frenzy looked up at Emily and buzzed, hands resting over hers lightly. Chirruping back, Emily was so proud as Frenzy reached out with both hands to Ratchet, twittering in askance. Trilling back, Ratchet welcomed the little youngster into his hands, taking the chance to check his energy readings and other details that required physical contact.  
'You've done an amazing job with his repairs Emily, he's absolutely thriving.' Ratchet praised, amazed to see Frenzy back on his feet after all the damage he'd taken under the Hoover Dam.  
'I found him a few hours after the battle and eased him out of stasis today, so yeah, been a very long project. I never expected he'd turn out this well afterwards though, there don't seem to be any lasting effects of that time.' Emily nodded, leaning back and catching Frenzy as he jumped back into her arms.  
'He certainly knows who gave him life again. Congratulations, mother.' Ratchet chuckled, offering out another rust stick to Frenzy and watching him chow down on it happily.  
'Don't start Ratchet, just don't start.' Emily sighed, adjusting her headset and setting Frenzy down at her feet. He chirped up at her but relaxed again when Emily rumbled soothingly. 'I know I won't always be around for him but I fully intend to be the best caretaker I can until then.'  
'I have absolute confidence in you Emily.' Ratchet nodded, so proud of Emily but worried about what Frenzy might remember later in his life.  
'I know that look Ratchet, I did my job properly. You don't need to worry, everything will be fine.'

Finishing his second treat, Frenzy chirruped softly and stood, reaching up for Emily. Picking up her jacket and pulling it on, Emily gently picked Frenzy up, half expecting him to climb onto her shoulder again. Instead he burrowed in against her chest, curling up tight and holding her shirt in one hand. Stroking his back lightly, Emily watched him slip into recharge, optics dimming to inky black slowly.  
'Emily, whatever possessed you to reanimate Frenzy?' Ratchet asked, free to talk now that Frenzy was in recharge.  
'Keep your voice down Ratchet, you'll wake him. The sins of the father should not condemn the son.' Emily replied, looking down at her resting charge. 'Soundwave was a slagger, he didn't deserve someone like Frenzy.'  
'I can only hope your cleanup of his programming was perfect. We don't want him reverting in the middle of the compound.'  
'Relax Ratchet, this isn't the first time I've written complex programming like this. He won't revert, I'm certain of it.'  
'Are you willing to stake all our lives on that?'  
'I've already staked his life on it Ratchet. If the worst should happen, I can cut him off. It's a deep rooted program, he can't do anything about it without wiping his own core programming and I will always have the shutdown code ready for use. I hope I don't have to use it, it's designed to make a second revival impossible.'  
'Logic bomb? Fry all his circuits at once?'  
'Nah, not my style at all. Let's just say it'll end any danger and leave it at that, my tactics are my own.'  
'Fair enough Emily. So what's with the face mask thing?'  
'It's a translator unit prototype. An activation switch controlled by jaw muscles switches it on and off, the underlying circuitry picks up vibrations from my vocal cords, runs them through the function chips along the bottom of my jaw and puts out the translation through the vocaliser mounted here. The returning Cybertronian is picked up through the microphone over my ear, run through a different set of function chips against my cheek and sent to the underlying earpiece as English. There is a little bit of lag on the returns but it's only a couple of seconds before the conversation flows.'

Leaning closer and scanning the unit Emily proudly wore, Ratchet was amazed by the complex circuity he could see and the deeper layers coming up on his scanners. He could see the extra plugs waiting for components that were missing but he had no idea what else might be needed in a translation unit.  
'Windvest is still playing with some ideas. He's thinking that maybe something like this could be used to speed communication in a battle scenario. By adding visual enhancers, tactical software, secure commlinks and other equipment, he's aiming to have something that will give us equivalent abilities to yours.' Emily chuckled, snugging Frenzy closer and watching the surprise on Ratchet's face.  
'He never said anything about such a project to me, I would have been only too happy to help.'  
'That's Windvest for you, he's always preferred to do projects like this on his own. He needed a little help with the translation programme but that usually meant late nights sitting with Optimus, he'd say a word and Optimus would repeat it. This prototype has a basic translation pack installed, using all the words they've covered in the last month. With the next upgrade of the systems, he'll install an improved translation pack.'  
'I always knew Windvest was clever. I just never expected him to have such an ambitious project.'  
'He'll get it done too, Windvest won't let it go now that he's got it started. Which reminds me, I've got a list of words he needs to add to the next update, getting a lot of gaps in this one. We'll talk later Ratchet.'  
'Of course Emily, I look forward to assisting with Frenzy.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Stretched out comfortably on Optimus' chest plate, Blade felt so safe and warm as they watched some construction programme on TV. What had started as a friendship of convenience had turned into something more, something unnamed but so tangible for them both. They never tried to name their new connection, they were happy to just have it and see where it took them as the days passed them by and their connection grew even more.  
'Are you quite comfortable there Blade?' Optimus asked, one hand wrapped under Blade's feet to keep him from slipping.  
'Yeah, I'm good.' Blade nodded, adjusting his vest now repurposed as a pillow. 'You sure you don't mind me hanging out like this?'  
'I enjoy your company Blade. It is rare that I have time to relax and do nothing like this.'  
'That seems to be a leadership thing. None of us has the time to just chill out and do nothing for a few hours.'  
'Doesn't Slash push you to take time off? Ratchet, Prowl and Jazz all tell me I should take more time off, Ratchet more than the others. There have been days when I was forcibly removed from my office for a day off, usually with Ironhide standing guard to keep me out of my office.' Optimus chuckled, sitting up a little and adjusting the cushions he was leaning against.  
'That's the hazard of being a working SAU. There was no such thing as downtime before we made the move out of Chicago. We were still under orders from The Martian War Council. While under their orders, we had to be ready for battle at any time of the day or night, no matter the weather or battle conditions. So we never went anywhere without at least three firearms and a couple of knives, kept our helmets close to hand, slept light and in our gear so we weren't slowed during a callout.' Blade shrugged, patting the lone knife on his belt.  
'So what changed?'  
'We left Chicago. The War Council is too busy defending Mars to worry about tracking us down, we're not worth their attention. Sure, they'll be pissed that we're not where're supposed to be but I really doubt they'll try finding us. They'd just have to drag us back to Mars to face the firing squad for abandoning our posts. Easier just to abandon us here, completely isolated from the Martian people. It'd be no real problem for us, we're used to being isolated from our people. Out of Chicago, away from The War Council and hey presto, off duty. Now we can relax, unwind and enjoy our lives in peace.'  
'I note you are never completely unarmed.'  
'Show me a soldier that goes about his day without a weapon and I'll show you a fool.'  
'My trailer is out the side, my personal sidearm is up there.' Optimus countered, indicating the familiar weapon mounted on the wall near the door. 'Does that make me a fool?'  
'You are a weapon, you don't need a firearm. I saw how easily you tore Shockwave to pieces.'  
'Not my proudest moment. I am not an aggressive 'Bot by nature.'  
'War changes all. I used to be a gentle guy, quick with a laugh and first to start the bawdy ballads after a hard day. Now, well I'm sure you've seen how tough I can be on the bros.'  
'I had noticed Blade.'  
'It's not that I enjoy being so hard on them, I've just seen too many bros die for stupid reasons. I'm tasked with their safety and sometimes that's hard to ensure.'  
'I understand Blade.'

Sensing a change in the young Martian on his chest, Optimus engaged his holoform and settled beside Blade, looping one arm around his shoulders and holding him close. Knowing no one would say anything about his temporary weakness, Blade snuggled closer and welcomed the supportive arms, desperate for some kind of comfort against the constant pressures of leadership. A little surprised when Blade draped over his holoform, Optimus took a moment to think before wrapping Blade up tighter and stroking his back lightly, trying to soothe his fears before they got out of hand.  
'It's nice to have someone that understands the burdens of leadership. Emily tries but she's never been an officer. My bros have a go but they don't have the pressure I've got. You get it, you understand what I face daily.' Blade uttered, head resting on Optimus' furred shoulder lightly.  
'Smaller numbers but bigger problems. It takes a special kind of person to be a leader.' Optimus agreed, temporarily shocked by how right it felt to be Blade's rock and confidant. 'Some people just don't understand how hard it can be.'  
'Exactly. I thought that getting out here and settling the guys into something fairly close to civilian life would ease my burdens, instead they seem just as heavy. I don't have a moment to myself, there's always someone looking to talk to me about something. Some times I have to care and resolve the situation but most times, it's just bullshit.'  
'In a way I am quite lucky like that. My fellow Autobots know that if the door is shut, I do not wish to be disturbed for anything short of an attack. It seems you do not have such a luxury.'  
'Not a chance. I can't get away from them and they know my officer's code demands that I listen to their troubles and help them resolve any issues. All my Section Heads have to face the same battles but being top of the ladder makes it even worse.'  
'You can come hide in here anytime you want Blade. I will see that you are not disturbed.'  
'Thanks Optimus. Do you mind if I catch a nap? I was up all night dealing with various issues.'  
'Of course not, I'll be right here when you wake.' Optimus nodded, thinking nothing of it as Blade draped over his holoform's chest and got comfortable. 'Sleep well Blade.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Grunting as someone landed on his back, Jazz surged out of his lazy recharge and flipped, sending his attacker flying again. Bounding to his feet, he spotted the attacker and froze, certain his optics were glitching as he gazed at the 'Bot that had landed on him. Rolling to his feet and standing, Blaster grinned and flipped his battle mask up, so glad to see his old friend again.  
'Hey, sup Blaster?' Jazz grinned, walking over to drape one arm around Blaster's shoulders.  
'Could ask you the same Jazz. You got a pretty sweet place here.'  
'Owe it all to Emily, our liaison with the humans. She built this place for us all to live in peace and harmony.'  
'Ain't seen this Emily yet, got the brief from some big dude called Falcon. Weird names these humans have.'  
'Falcon ain't human, he's another of our allies. We share this home with a Martian combat unit, Stand Alone Unit 14. Falcon's the security chief, originally for the Martians but when we all started livin' together, he got the job of keeping us all out of trouble.'  
'One guy to keep all this under control? Seems harsh to me, man.'  
'Falcon's the security chief, he's got five other security guys to help keep the peace and some very cool toys to ensure good behaviour. Don't make the mistake of judgin' by size, they might be smaller than us but by damn can they handle things. Ain't many left that haven't felt the true force of the security team, even I've copped it for a late night infraction. Got done for a noise violation, had the stereo pumpin' a little too high and security was called. Lost my sound system for a month and if I do it again, it's brig time. Trust me, man, don't go screwing around. These security boys take things seriously.'  
'Sounds like ol' Red Alert on a bad day.'  
'Nah, Falcon and his bros ain't that bad. Sit and chill man, we're cool now. Life is good here, nothin' to worry about at all.' Jazz grinned, settling back on the ground and stretching out beside Prowl.  
'I would but gotta keep an optic on Eject and Rewind…oh slag, where are they now?' Blaster groaned, looking around for his little ones. 'Rewind! Eject! Where are you two?'  
'They can't have gotten far. Come on, we'll find them.' Jazz replied, transforming and starting to search.

Seemingly unaware of the concern they were causing, Eject and Rewind watched one of the mice on the jumps track, the glossy red and white bike spinning and flying in a spectacular show. Sitting tall in the saddle, the rider moved with his bike and pulled off stunts that neither young Autobot had ever seen before. Landing again and swinging around beside the twins, the rider yanked his helmet off and shook his hair out, a warm smile on his face.  
'Well hi there. I'm Revs, welcome to our compound.' he greeted, unafraid of the pair towering over him. 'This is Roars, my beautiful Martian Sylver Seraph 8500.' he added, indicating the bike he was riding.  
'Hello. I'm Rewind and this is my twin, Eject.' the black and white replied, crouching a little more and gazing at Revs. Whistle-clicking a greeting of her own, Roars reared up onto her rear wheel and revved, inviting the pair to play.  
'Whoa, did we do something wrong?' Eject asked, blue and white paint glistening in the sun.  
'Nah, she's just excited. Judging by the parts I can see, you've both got two-wheeled earth modes, most likely motorbikes of some kind. She's inviting you to ride with us, that's all.' Revs chuckled, forcing Roars back down with a subtle weight shift.  
'Yeah, according to the internet, Kawasaki KLX 140.' Eject nodded, transforming and rolling onto the track.  
'We picked the same earth mode, it's comforting for us.' Rewind added, joining his brother on the track.  
'Nothing wrong with that. Come on, let's ride.' Revs grinned, donning his helmet and holding on as Roars raced off around the track again, Eject and Rewind keeping pace easily enough.

Spotting a flash of black and white in his peripheral vision, Ironhide turned and chuckled, catching a flash of blue and white shooting into the sky beside a very familiar red, white and black shape.  
'Blaster, I found them. They're over on the jumps track with Revs.' he called, turning back to the frantic carrier now peering over the walls in case the boys had left.  
'Thanks Ironhide.' he replied, sagging with relief as he followed the pointing hand to find his boys. 'Eject! Rewind! Here, now!' he snapped, worry being replaced with frustration.

Hearing the angered call, Eject and Rewind hit the brakes and spun, narrowly avoiding Revs as they shot off the track and raced to Blaster, transforming and running the last few meters.  
'Yeah dad?' Eject asked, letting out a yelp as Blaster grabbed his scruff bar and hoisted him off the ground.  
'What'd we do dad?' Rewind tried, in the same state as his brother.  
'Don't you ever, ever disappear like that again. You had me so worried.' Blaster growled, totally focused on his dangling youngsters.  
'We're sorry dad, we were just exploring.' Eject offered, helpless to get away from Blaster's grip.  
'Roars invited us to join him on the track.' Rewind added, realising that they weren't going to get away without trouble.  
'You should have told me where you were going. Don't ever do that again, you're all I've got left.' Blaster insisted, a flash of pain entering his optics.  
'We won't dad, promise. We'll stay close and always tell you where we're going. We're sorry, we won't disappear like that again.' Rewind nodded, looking at his twin for a moment. 'You won't lose us dad, we'll be okay.'  
'Ah, c'mere you little scraplets.' Blaster chuckled, flicking the pair up and catching them against his chest. 'I never could stay mad at either of you, no matter how much you worry me at times.'  
'Love you dad.' Eject uttered, latching onto his father and burrowing close.  
'Love you so much.' Rewind agreed, arms locked around Blaster's neck.  
'I'll always love you both, no matter what.' Blaster replied, sinking to the ground with all the grace he could muster and holding his twins tight. 'My beautiful split-spark twins.'

Wandering over to sit near Blaster, Wheeljack chuckled as Perceptor darted over and dropped into his lap, examining the delicate feather he'd found somewhere.  
'You didn't disturb any local animals to get that, did you?'  
'Kup gave it to me, said he found it after he woke from his nap earlier.' Perceptor replied, admiring the brown feather as he held it carefully in his fingers. 'It's so pretty.'  
'It sure is Perceptor. I think it's an eagle feather but I can't be sure. We'll look it up later, how's that sound?'  
'Okay, I like that idea. You'll help me find the right bird, won't you?'  
'Of course I will. We'll find out all we can and maybe even see the same bird flying around here another day.'  
'Really?'  
'We might be lucky enough.'  
'You're the best dad.' Perceptor beamed, carefully putting his feather away before hugging Wheeljack tight.

Whipping around and staring at Wheeljack, Blaster had to replay the conversation just to be certain that he'd heard correctly. Hearing that recording didn't help though, he still heard the same word - dad.  
'You're a father too Wheeljack?' he asked, adjusting the twins on his lap.  
'Technically no, I'm a carrier but after Perceptor's sire disappeared, I took on both roles. When he first arrived, Perceptor called me mum and oh boy did we have to answer some interesting questions. We discussed the situation and now I'm dad. That doesn't seem to cause as many problems with our various allies.' Wheeljack explained, not really surprised when Perceptor hid away shyly when Blaster's twins turned their attention his direction.  
'So, three youngsters on base, that's cool.'  
'It'll be four soon, Ratchet's sparked. Should only be another few days before the little one splits off.'  
'I had no idea Ratchet was a carrier. Who's the sire of that incoming bundle of joy?'  
'Ironhide, who else? Come on, those two were together before the war, surely you remember.'  
'I remembered a second after I asked, been out of touch for way too long I guess. It's good to be back with some of the gang.'  
'You've missed a lot Blaster, we've had some impressive victories since we first started arriving on this planet.'  
'Go on, I'm listenin'.'

Leaning back on his hands and nuzzling Perceptor's helm lightly, Wheeljack sighed and dimmed his optics, recalling the details and telling the story of the third battle against the Decepticons. He went back as far as he could and rolled it forward, speaking of the missions in the Middle East, the discovery at Chernobyl and everything else that led up to the Chicago Battle. Discussing Ironhide's destruction and salvation had caught Wheeljack vocaliser but he'd pressed on, wanting to pass on all the knowledge he had so Blaster could understand what they had faced. Talking about their ship still stung a little, he'd had a hand in building it but it was an integral part of the story. Listening intently and absorbing everything that was said, Blaster had to admire the courage portrayed as his friends took their fight back to Megatron despite all the obstacles thrown up against them. He silently praised the bravery of the mice, astounded that they had purposefully ridden into danger to protect their Autobot allies. But when Wheeljack spoke of Falcon's near sacrifice, Blaster was left in stunned disbelief that a Martian would risk his life for an Autobot he hardly knew. He'd never expected such loyalty to be shown between two such different races. Going beyond the Chicago battle, Wheeljack told of the great effort that went into restoring Jazz and Ironhide and how the mice pulled with them to get the job done. He praised Emily's determination to build them a new home and all the work that went into the design and building of their home. He took Blaster right through to the day previous and the adventures they had shared.

Falling quiet again, Wheeljack waited for Blaster to go back over everything he'd been told. Absolutely stunned by what he'd heard, Blaster couldn't fully wrap his mind around all the information but it was slowly filtering through and being stored away until he could go over it in his own time.  
'I missed a lot more than I thought.' he mused, shaking his head in wonder.  
'That's just the latest brawl against the Decepticons. You'll need to ask someone else about the other two, I can't help you there.'  
'It's okay Wheeljack. It's going to take me a couple days to go through all you've told me and file it all away.'  
'Ask around with the mice too, they've still got a lot of helmet cam footage from Chicago and maybe some stuff from Mission City and Egypt as well. Movie nights are always great, we usually put the screen up on the side of the empty house there and play old footage for a laugh. Ratchet's accident at the Witwicky residence is a favourite and we can thank Ironhide for the clip.'  
'I will Wheeljack, thanks for the tip.'  
'No problem Blaster. We had to bring a few others up to speed on the situation, you weren't the only one to miss the action.'  
'I'm still in awe of the charge Falcon led. Five lives saved with no thought of his own danger. It's just amazing to think about, much less witness. I just can't wrap my mind around the fact he did that.'  
'We're bros, friends to the very end. I asked Streaks about it once and you know what he said. The unspoken bond of friendship translates as: if you should ever need my life, then come and take it.'  
'I assume that Streaks is another of the Martians?'  
'Yeah, that's him over there. Brown fur, black hair with bright orange streaks in it.'  
'I see him. It's going to take some time to get used to their way of thinking.'  
'We all had to face that challenge.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

A little confused when Ratchet called her back into the repair bay that afternoon, Emily had no idea what he wanted so soon after Frenzy's initial scans. If there had been a problem, he would have told her immediately and she wasn't getting that sort of a vibe off him. This was all very unusual and she was nervous, tense in anticipation and waiting to see what would happen. Perched up on Emily's shoulder again, Frenzy showed no fear of the repair bay this time, he was quite content to look around and trill softly. Spotting Ratchet emerging from the OR again, Emily quickly grabbed Frenzy's arm and perched him on the railing, holding him close as Ratchet walked over, a soft bundle held lightly in one massive hand. Sensing something unusual, Frenzy bolted back onto Emily's shoulder and flared up, nervous but trying not to show it. Chirring softly to soothe him, Emily coaxed him back down onto the railing and stroked his back, getting the hang of his rapid mood swings and how to handle them.

Looking at the bundle in his hand for a moment, Ratchet sighed and shifted his gaze to Emily, cradling the bundle to his chest lightly as he considered his words. Instead of speaking though, he flipped the cloth away and revealed the little Autobot looking around timidly. Staring at Ratchet for a moment, Emily approached the railing and reached out to the second youngster, chirring to him in greeting and introducing herself as his mother. Looking from Emily to Frenzy and back, the little blue and silver 'Bot chirruped and crawled across Ratchet's fingers to grab Emily's reaching hand. Trilling softly in encouragement, Emily guided him closer and picked him up, nuzzling his helm and cooing to welcome him. Systems purring in harmony, the twins nuzzled close to their mother and chirred happily, dazzling blue and green optics looking up at her with absolute trust.

Watching as Emily bonded with the newest member of her family, Ratchet wasn't sure if he should interrupt but there was one other little bit of information he wanted to pass to Emily before he left them to bond as a family unit. It wasn't much, just a fragment of a memory about Frenzy's twin. Before he could say anything though, Emily proved she'd done more than just edit Frenzy's programming, she'd looked through his memory files.  
"Frenzy and Rumble, my beautiful split-spark twins." She uttered, nuzzling their helms as she named them. "I love you both so much, don't ever forget that."  
"Love you too mumma."  
"Always love you mumma."

Unburdened by their combined weight and so proud of the pair, Emily lifted her gaze to Ratchet and nodded, genuine thanks and acceptance in her dark eyes.  
'Thank you.' she offered, those two little words saying so much so easily.  
'Just doing my job, Ma'am.' Ratchet replied, a little embarrassed by the honest thanks. 'Been a while since I had the joy of treating sparklets as small as your pair.'  
'Then you won't mind if I bring them to you for any problems?'  
'Of course not, I would be proud to treat them.'  
'Thank you for your assistance, CMO Ratchet.' Emily nodded, offering a slight bow before turning and heading for the stairs back down to ground level.

Wandering across the grass and chattering with her twins quietly, Emily couldn't wipe the proud smile off her face as she headed for the main gathering spot for the time being. She knew people were staring, curious about the two she held but they wouldn't push for information until she gave off the subtle signals that she was ready to be questioned about them. She noticed the various groups sitting around, amazed that they changed every day but quickly settled on which one to sit with. Making a mental note to organise some kind of sling to help take the weight off her shoulders, she padded over and settled beside Christine and Braid, watching the proud parents-to-be. Christine rested in Braid's lap, their joined hands supporting under her swollen abdomen.  
'All we need is Ratchet and Ironhide over here and we've got a full on parents group.' Emily chuckled, sinking down and settling the twins on her thighs.  
'Where'd you find those two Emily?' Wheeljack asked, Perceptor stretched out beside him and watching the clouds.  
'It's a long story Wheeljack. One that I'll share when the twins are old enough to understand. What really matters is that I love them both and I'll raise them as my own always. Frenzy and Rumble are my responsibility, my dearest split-sparks.' Emily replied, nuzzling the pair tenderly so they knew she loved them.  
'Frenzy and Rumble…no, it can't be.' Blaster uttered, staring at the pair in disbelief. 'This is gonna sound bad but I'm demanding that you hand those two over immediately. I made their true carrier a promise that if anythin' happened to him, I'd take on his family.'  
'Try it and see what happens Blaster. You make one move to take my children and it's not just my wrath you'll face. I've already got Ratchet's blessing, he saved Rumble and put him back together but realised he couldn't care of him and his own sparklet. Of all the people he could have chosen, he chose me. As for Frenzy, I put six years into saving his life and getting him back to the happy little guy you see now. They've already bonded to my care, they ain't going anywhere now.' Emily growled, the twins instinctively seeking comfort closer to her chest.  
'If you'd left it alone, you might have had the chance to become one of the chosen babysitters when Emily's got to go to work. Now you'll be lucky to get any contact much at all.' Metric added, joining the group with Wheelie and Brains.  
'There you are Emily, we were looking for ya.'  
'Sorry Brains, had to get the twins checked over by Ratchet. Meet Rumble and Frenzy, my dear sons.'  
'Oh, you're gonna have fun with those two. I remember…'  
'One word and you're out in the main estate Brains. Those times are gone, left in the past where they belong. Clean slate and don't you go messing it up.' Emily snarled, clicking softly to soothe the twins again.  
'Okay, okay. Not a word Emily, promise. Really don't wanna live out here, too dangerous for us.' Brains nodded, holding up his hands in defeat.  
'That's what I like to hear Brains. I am not looking forward to bringing our other liaisons up to speed on this new situation.' Emily sighed, shaking her head in wonder. 'Oh, guess what. We had a new arrival join the ranks, bringing his two sons along with him. Ratchet and Ironhide had a kid too, betcha didn't know they could do that. And to top it off, I've got two adopted Autobot sparklets as well.' she added, earning a few laughs from her friends.  
'You're the woman everyone's been telling me about? You don't seem that intimidating.' Blaster remarked, eyeing Emily warily.  
'Be grateful you've met me on a good day Blaster. I'm sure Sideswipe remembers our first meeting for all the wrong reasons. He said the wrong thing and wound up in repair bay after a put a knife in one of his vital lines. He wasn't expecting someone so small to be a threat but he learned real fast.'  
'No way.'  
'Believe it Blaster, she jammed a knife into my main energon line, got me right below the faceplate.' Sideswipe nodded, skating past the group with his twin. 'I learned real fast what not to say around Emily and you'll learn too. Some days it's best to just stay out of sight and pray.' he added, kicking off and chasing Sunstreaker down.  
'It takes a fair bit to annoy me enough for me to pull a weapon on an ally. You came mighty close by demanding I hand these two over but I know I have to set a good example for them. Speaking of setting a good example, anyone seen Optimus or Blade today? Ain't seen a hint of either all day.' Emily nodded, the twins drifting into recharge slowly. 'Sleep my angels, mumma's got you.' she whispered, rocking slowly until they dropped into recharge properly.  
'Haven't seem them either Emily, that's really weird for both of them. They're usually always out here keeping an eye on things.' Wheeljack shrugged, taking a moment to look around for the unmistakeable shape of his leader.  
'Feh, they'll turn up when they're ready. Falcon would have marked them on the board if they'd left the compound proper and I can't see any markings next to their names.' Emily shrugged, gaze turning to the large board with everyone listed so they could show if they were heading beyond the walls for a stretch.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Twitching with the aftershocks, Blade panted harshly and sagged back against Optimus' chest plates in exhaustion, not really caring about the heat he was giving off. Fur soaked with sweat but drying quickly thanks to the rising heat, he found the energy to roll onto his side and look up at Optimus' faceplates, a soft smile on his face. Optics clicking back on, Optimus hummed in contentment and gazed down at Blade, trembling against his chest plates. Adjusting a few of his vents, he helped dry Blade's thick fur before he got cold. Sighed contentedly and stretching out again, Blade sighed and looked at his sticky fur, briefly wondering if he'd get back to his place without anyone noticing his state.  
'That was…' Optimus mused, cupping his hand to support Blade gently.  
'Unexpected?' Blade supplied, shuffling around leaning back into Optimus' hand comfortably.  
'Most unexpected but certainly not unpleasant.'  
'So no regrets?'  
'None at all. What about you?'  
'Nope, I'm happy with what's happening between us. It's a little weird but I'm okay with this.' Blade nodded, shifting deeper into the warmth of Optimus' hand. 'Leadership gets in the way of everything, right?'  
'So very true Blade. Do you really think this can work though?'  
'Don't see why not. Not saying it's gonna be easy but we'll make it work.'

Sitting up slowly, Optimus cradled Blade tenderly to his chest and fished in one of the storage boxes on the shelf near the berth. Finding what he wanted, he draped the scrap of blue cloth over Blade's naked body and nodded, still amazed by how right it felt to cradle the exhausted Martian like this. Tucking the cloth around his body a little more, Blade sighed softly and closed his eyes, relaxing into the supporting warmth and getting used to the idea of having a non-platonic relationship with a being such as Optimus.  
'Are you all right Blade?'  
'Yeah, just thinking. The first thing I really need is a wash, I'm all sweaty and sticky.'  
'Shall I take you home?'  
'Only if it can't be avoided. Come on, we're smart. We should be able to figure out something that will do the job.'

Turning the problem over carefully, Optimus searched through the storage boxes on the shelves, recalling something that would do a suitable job as a bathtub if he could just find it. Flipping past some random trinkets he'd picked up over the centuries, he found his prize and lifted it out, a slight twist of the wrist enough to free it from the pile of stuff in the box. Putting that down safely, he fossicked through another box and came up with a small bag that Sam had left behind some time ago. Placing the bag in the shallow dish and picking both up, he headed for the bathroom, placing the items up on the low wall before easing Blade up to sit there safely. Turning on the water to just a slow trickle, he filled the shallow bowl carefully and put it back on the wall, spark lifting as Blade walked over and tested the temperature.  
'Heh, knew you'd figure something out Optimus. This will do nicely.' Blade nodded, dropping the blue cloth and climbing into the tub. 'This is just perfect.'  
'And here I thought that thing was just supposed to be pretty to look at. A gift from an old ally, I never really liked it much but they asked if I still had it every time we communicated so I couldn't get rid of it.' Optimus shrugged, adjusting the water and stepping under the spray.  
'Yeah, I've got a few things like that. We could carve a piece out of the wall up here and mount this permanently, would make it safer.' Blade agreed, leaning back in the warmth and washing the muck from his fur.  
'I'm certain that something can be arranged.' Optimus agreed, rinsing off the sticky grey transfluid on his chest and abdomen. 'It really is nice to have some personal company like this.'  
'Now I finally understand what Slash was trying to explain when he first started dating Bonfire. Things do just fall into place and you know it's meant to be.' Blade nodded, totally relaxed and peaceful as he enjoyed the warmth of his bath and the constant company of his dearest friend and now lover.


	13. Line In The Sand

The first warning anyone got of the invading force inside the compound was when the Martian Trisi class interceptor appeared above the shared area. Responding instantly, Ironhide's cannons whirled into position and he took aim on the hovering ship, waiting for orders to take it down.  
'Ironhide, stand down!' Blade called, heavy cannon over his shoulder as he raced out to join the ranks. 'Destruction by my order!'  
'Acknowledged Blade.' Ironhide replied, backing up and lowering his cannons but he didn't put them away.  
'Formation! We don't know what's coming with this Trisi!' Blade ordered, his new relationship with Optimus giving him a fair bit of pull when it came to ordering Autobots around.

Gathering together and forming a solid circle around the hovering ship, Martians and Autobots stood tall together, weapons ready but lowered until they knew more about the status of their enemy. Settling down in the middle of the circle, the interceptor went quiet and seemed to wait before the hatch opened and some very familiar faces strode out. Instantly the tension ratcheted up again, weapons swinging up into firing positions all around the circle.  
'I suggest you lot get back in that ship and fuck off. We don't want you here.' Falcon snarled, bracing his mini-version of Ironhide's cannons. Hanging from a shoulder mount harness, they were a scary looking pair, capable of some very serious damage and Falcon had the strength to put their power to good use.  
'You're only getting one warning! Leave! Now!' Braid added, another scary looking heavy weapon in his hands.  
'Whoa, steady now bros.' Stoker tried, hands raised as he stepped forward. He jumped back again when a bullet whistled past his left ear and pinged off the ship.  
'Next one goes through your head asshole!' Emily warned, pistol held level with his forehead and four small Autobots tucked behind her. 'You've had all the warnings you're gonna get!'  
'Stand Alone Unit 14, I hereby order you to stand down!' Carbine demanded, stepping forward and refusing to be cowed by the show of aggression all around them.  
'You lost your right to order us around when you abandoned us!' Christine countered, switching her aim over to Carbine's chest.

Swapping startled looks, the other three that had emerged from the ship seemed confused by this new information, not really sure if they should believe what they were hearing or not. Talking quietly and tossing ideas around as they tried to figure out what to do, they soon came to a conclusion. Stepping forward, Throttle un-holstered his pistol and dropped it, nuke knucks landing beside it a moment later. Unhooking a new addition to his equipment belt, he gazed calmly at his fellow mice as he slid the thin black band around his wrists and pulled it tight with a flick of his tail. Gaze lowered and body language respectful, he stunned everyone as he stepped from the shelter of the ship and knelt, defenceless against the deadly weapons aimed his way.

Recognising the ancient ritual aiming towards a peaceful negotiation between warring clans, Blade lowered his weapon and let it fall before removing the rest of his arsenal and dropping them to the grass. Reaching over and unhooking a set of flexi-cuffs from Plate's belt, Blade bound his wrists and stepped out to kneel in front of Throttle, two strong leaders meeting in a totally neutral situation.  
'Blade, I've known you since I was a rookie. You were a young Sergeant that I could believe in and I proudly followed you into battle so many times. You watched me bloom into a great leader in my own right and I proved my abilities with my own cell. I watched from a distance as you were given what you deserved and promoted above me again. I knew you would make SAU 14 a force to be reckoned with, a deadly unit with an unstoppable desire to free our planet and see it restored.' Throttle offered, trying not to think about all the weapons still pointing their direction.  
'Throttle, I've known you since you were a young recruit. You were a lively one, always thinking through the plans and making them your own as we raced into battle against so many varied enemies. You surpassed all expectations and grew into a warrior the likes of which no one expected to see. The first day you stood with your cell, I knew you would be the one to lead the Martian people into a new Golden Time for Mars.' Blade replied, outer confidence hiding his inner concerns about how this might end.  
'I know you Blade, you would never tell me false truths. Speak freely, you'll receive no judgement from me, bro.' Throttle nodded, a little awkward as he moved to sit cross-legged on the grass.  
'The story of SAU 14 since I was given command is dark and full of betrayal and treachery. We never came to Earth of our own free will, we were ordered off Mars with no chance to defend our positions. SAU 14 became a dumping ground for the unwanted members of so many cells, units and commands. Unwanted for medical reasons, psychological reasons, physical problems or long, negative personnel files. Thanks to a source within the Martian High Command, we have discovered exactly who sighed off on all those transfers. Someone we all trusted and respected for his abilities in combat…General Stoker.' Blade explained, even more awkward with his position change but he got settled again.  
'Do you have proof of these allegations Blade?'  
'We do Throttle. Brains, come over here.'  
'On my way Blade.'

Picking his way through the grass, Brains climbed up onto Blade's lap and waited for instructions, always eager to help out the mice when they needed high tech help.  
'What do you need Blade?'  
'I need you to bring up the files relating to our allegations against Stoker. Throttle wishes to see our proof.'  
'You've got it Blade.' Brains nodded, dropping off Blade's lap and climbing into Throttle's before transforming and bringing up the first file. "Ask if this is good?"  
'Do not be alarmed Throttle, Brains is no threat. He wants to know if the angle is good.'  
'Uh, yeah, this is good. I can read everything clearly.' Throttle nodded, reaching for his inner calm as he scanned the slowly filing documents. 'Just slow it down a little, I'm missing details.'  
'These documents are coming straight from the Martian HQ servers, there has been no tampering Throttle.'  
'I can see that Blade, the Martian HQ sigils are all here, including the ones that exist nowhere else.'  
'How dare you!' Carbine snarled, advancing on Blade with murder in her eyes.  
'You lot were warned!' Emily snarled, shifting her aim a little and blowing a hole right through Carbine's right ear. 'Back to the ramp and don't move again! Next one is a kill shot!'  
'She's serious, back off now!' Blade warned, deep red eyes steely hard as he glared at Carbine and Stoker. 'Revs, dispatch a medic to check her wound. I do not want that bitch bleeding in my home.'  
'Couldn't agree more. Shift, bare minimum care.' Revs replied, turning to his most junior medic.  
'Got it covered Boss.' Shift nodded, shouldering his rifle and moving forward, digging in the medical hip pouch he was wearing.

Still going through the documents Brains was scrolling for him, Throttle couldn't believe what he was seeing on the screen. Every profile was black marked, the reasons written clearly for all to see. Decal's career with a top Army spy unit was taken from him by his asthma, a full year after it was diagnosed. Revs lost his standing as CMO for Base 14 due to the fact he was short sighted. Sidewinder, a brilliant Explosives Technician by all rights had been black-listed for a duty-related hearing issue. Ripper lost his forward scouting place with Scouting team 9, the best unit on Mars, two years after his grand mal epilepsy was diagnosed. Thunder was removed from his sniper team and sent to SAU 14 because of hearing loss. Black and his younger brothers Carbon and Speed all got their black marks after a detected security breech. No one knew for sure who had done it, the brothers refused to give each other up. So many great careers destroyed for pointless reasons and all signed by the same two senior commanders. Lifting his gaze, he looked back to where Carbine and Stoker were sitting, Carbine's ear still streaked red. 

Shaking his head slowly, he turned back to the laptop and sighed, realising what had to be done. He hated to be the one to bring the allegations against Stoker, the younger mice looked up to him with such respect. But he couldn't just let this mistreatment go unpunished, he had to face the Martian War Tribunal and tell them about it. They were around specifically to prevent matters like this from ever cropping up but somehow the case of SAU 14's banishment hadn't reached their attention.  
'Gets worse bro, you haven't seen anything yet.' Blade offered, shifting a little and glancing back at the only human in the circle.  
'This is already very bleak Blade, how much worse can it get?'  
'Even if we still had a ship, which we don't, we cannot return to Mars. False charges were drummed up against all of us, meaning we'll face firing squads, hard labour camps or serious prison time if we dare return. We've accepted that, we have a new home here and people that care about us, we don't have the desire to go back to Mars and watch it die. The same officers that signed us onto this mission also signed and co-signed those documents.'  
'They did what?'  
'It's true Throttle. I go back, I face twelve life sentences for massacring a group of mouselings. It's all false, I never did anything like that, I could never harm a child. I still cannot go back though, lies are enough to lock me away. Terrence and Stephen are just 28, one gets 10 years hard labour, the other 15 prison. It's not right and you know it.'

Digesting this new information slowly, Throttle found that he could see Stoker and Carbine doing something like that, it fit with the stories he'd heard from them both about the fate of SAU 14. Now he knew he couldn't let this drop, he'd take it to the tribunal and see that justice was done.  
'I will personally take this information before the War Tribunal, they'll make it right. This is exactly the reason they were established, to prevent situations like this.'  
'You really are still such a rookie. The War Tribunal ain't gonna do anything, we're just a bunch of misfits. The best thing you can do is get back on that Trisi and leave, forget you ever saw us and get on with your lives. We'll be okay.'  
'No, you're wrong Blade. The War Tribunal will make it right, they aren't corrupt like so much of our government. Just last week they ended the harsh isolation of another discarded unit and welcomed them back into main stream society. They are still listening, if you just speak up against the treatment.'  
'Bro, what part of can't go home don't you understand. The War Tribunal will ask us to stand before them and we can't, instant case dismissal. Even you can't stand against the orders regarding out fate, if we're seen, there is no question of taking us in, we'll be marched away in cuffs before anyone can say anything.'  
'Is there no one you trust to stand in your defence? Someone who can make the trip to Mars and plead your case. I'll organise a vid-link so you can make your own statements without risking your lives but I need someone who can help me prove you were treated unfairly. There must be someone Blade, I only need one.'  
'There's only one person I trust to take our case before the War Tribunal, but I doubt she will be welcome on Mars. She knows our case inside out, she's been there with us since we first arrived on Earth. Our guardian and patron, Emily. There is no one I trust more than her, she's taken the very best care of us all for over ten years.'  
'Where is this Emily now?'  
'She's the one that put a bullet through Carbine's ear. That's Emily for you, she stepped up to defend the ranks so no one got into trouble. She is our guardian and protector, no matter the challenges we face.'  
'Oh. Well, this should be interesting. No human has ever set foot on Mars. But if she is the one you trust so faultlessly, I will take her. I just hope she's willing to listen, learn and play by our rules.'  
'She knows the rules Throttle, we include her in all our rituals, she has been selected by Risla and understands our lifestyle. She'll need a diplomacy course and a suitable uniform but apart from that, she's good to go.'  
'A suitable uniform is easy to handle, however I will not be able to organise a suitable warriors cloak. She'll never be accepted without it and you know that.'  
'A cloak can be made, we have a very good seamstress. It will take a few days but Christine can handle it.'  
'Very well. Security measures will need to be taken until we can head to Mars to face the Tribunal.'  
'We have a brig set up and a full security team ready for duty. Just say the word and they'll handle things.'  
'Do it.'  
'Falcon, take Generals Carbine and Stoker into custody and escort them to the brig.' Blade ordered, relaxing a little as the six-man security team bounded forward. 'Snipers, block their escape!'  
'On it Blade.' Crimson replied, popping his scope and lancing a shot right past Carbine to block her from boarding the ship.

It was over in minutes, the two stunned Generals marched away in cuffs towards the brig. Satisfied with the result of their negotiations, Throttle and Blade rocked to their feet and smiled, looking around and working out who would be the one to release them. Brains beat them to the punch though, scrambling up Throttle's jeans and biting through the plastic. Sighing softly as the pressure vanished, Throttle shifted his grip on the tiny Autobot and lifted him up before motioning for Blade to turn. Offering out his wrists, Blade flinched as the flex cuffs bit into his skin a little more before falling to the ground.  
'Nice one Brains, thanks.' he grinned, rubbing sore wrists lightly.  
'Anything to help a bro, you know that.' Brains grinned, dropping back to the ground and heading back to Emily's side.  
'Everyone stand down! These three are welcome here, they are good bros!' Blade ordered, jogging over to collect his weapons as everyone else lowered their weapons and relaxed. 'Christine and Emily, I need a word with you both. Everyone else, chill out and go back to what you were doing, we're okay.'

Sinking into a crouch between his bros, Throttle watched the giant robots wander off in every direction, laughing and talking with the members of 14.  
'Any idea what's going on here bro?' Vinnie asked, equally nervous about what was going on around them.  
'With the robots, not yet. With SAU 14, it's a mess. Carbine and Stoker blacklisted them all, banished them from Mars upon pain of death, imprisonment or hard labour if they ever return. I promised Blade I'd front the War Tribunal about it, get their records cleared and see that Carbine and Stoker are punished accordingly. He's sending Emily with us, she can argue their case better than I can.'  
'Which one is Emily?' Modo asked, slowly calming down but still a little nervous about the situation.  
'You can't miss her, she's the only human in this place. There she is, talking with Blade and Christine.'  
'Oh yeah, I see her now. Are you sure she's trustworthy?'  
'Blade trusts her with his life and the welfare of his entire unit, I'd say she's trustworthy. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet but I'm not worried. She's the only one Blade trusts to argue their case to the War Tribunal.'  
'I just hope she can do it, no one should be prevented from going home.'  
'Couldn't agree more big guy but Blade said they're happy here. They don't want to go home but to have the option would be nice.'  
'How long since they were last home?'  
'Ten years, Mars has changed a lot since then.'  
'It sure has bro.'

Sending Emily and Christine off with their new project, Blade turned and chuckled as he watched Throttle, Vinnie and Modo watching the Autobots from under their ship, obviously wary of the giant robots. Darting past Hound and ducking under the ship, he settled back on the grass and relaxed.  
'You don't have to fear the Autobots, they are a gentle race really. They're refugees like us, but while we're banished, their homeworld Cybertron was destroyed by their war. We share this compound under Emily's care. They are a highly advanced race with some exceptional abilities. What you see walking around is their base modes, bipedal robots but they can actually transform into ordinary vehicles we see on the roads. Their leader, Optimus Prime, turns into a Peterbilt 18-wheeler complete with trailer. Each one is different but they are all truly gentle spirits, even if they get a little nasty at times. Their CMO Ratchet isn't known for his great bedside manner but he's the best at what he does and everyone here knows it.'  
'And you're totally relaxed living with these Autobots?' Throttle asked, jumping as one of the Autobots transformed right near the ship and drove away.  
'Oh yeah, absolutely relaxed with it. I'm actually living with Optimus for the most, I've got a place in the Martian estate but he understands me like no one else does.'  
'Could we meet him?'  
'Well sure, he'd be pleased to meet you. Optimus finds the Martian race fascinating, we spend hours talking about everything to do with Martian culture. He's even started putting his faith in our gods and been blessed by Ares. Stick with me and you'll be fine, the Autobots are aware of their size and always watch where they put their feet.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Crying out in shock and pain as his separation process commenced, Ratchet stumbled and crashed to his knees, one arm managing to catch a berth to stop his fall. Intakes heaving in an attempt to cool his body, he knelt there and panted, unable to do anything much else in his current condition.  
"Ironhide…need you now." He managed, fingers tightening on the berth at his side so he didn't slip right to the ground.  
"On my way. Should I get Wheeljack?"  
"Yes…it's time."  
"We're on the way."

Free hand braced against the floor, he tried to find his stability against the pain welling up in his chest. He knew how the process went, he'd birthed sparklets before and knew all the processes but that wasn't much help to him now. Swearing softly and hissing as another flare of pain filled his chest, he tried to deal with it but it felt like the kid was trying to rip his spark out. Gathering his strength and cursing again, he staggered back to his feet, leaning heavily on the berth and working to calm his raging systems all over again. Swaying dangerously, he lost his grip on the berth, his exhausted systems unable to react fast enough to prevent a painful fall. The impact never came though, instead he felt tender arms wrapping around him and holding him up.  
'I've got ya Ratch, it's alright now. Shhh, you're okay. I'm here and I ain't leaving ya.' Ironhide uttered, supporting his mate tenderly against his chest as he nuzzled his helm.  
'Hurts so much.' Ratchet groaned, unable to do anything but slump there in Ironhide's embrace, too drained to manage more.  
'Shhh, save your strength Ratch. I've got ya, just relax.' Ironhide soothed, shifting his grip and gently lifting Ratchet into his arms. 'It's alright now Ratch, I've got ya forever.'

Carrying his mate to the end berth and easing him down, Ironhide lightly stroked his cheek and took one bright hand in his own, offering what comfort he could against the pain. Trilling and cooing softly, he soothed Ratchet's concerns and refocused him onto possible names for their child. Chirring in reply, Ratchet tightened up his grip on Ironhide's fingers and groaned, the distraction failing on him.  
'Where's Jack?'  
'He'll be here real soon Ratch, just relax.'  
'Want this over.'  
'I know Ratch, I know. I love you.'  
'Love you…gah, lil slagger!'  
'Patience Ratch, this will be over soon.' Ironhide whispered, hand sliding up to cup Ratchet's helm lovingly. "Wheeljack! Hurry it up! This sparklet is ready now!"  
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Perceptor didn't want to leave."

Hustling into the repair bay, Wheeljack gently placed the waiting body beside Ratchet and dug out his birthing kit, placing it on the table at his side.  
'Okay Ratchet, here we go. Just relax, it'll all be over soon. Open up and let me see.' he uttered, opening his kit and spreading out his tools. 'Ironhide, staying or going?'  
'I ain't leaving.' Ironhide replied, shifting a little so he wasn't in Wheeljack's way. 'Hang in there Ratch, I've got ya.'  
'Don't let go 'Hide.' Ratchet pleaded, tightening his grip on Ironhide's hand again.  
'Never gonna happen Ratch, I'll always be right here.' Ironhide promised, leaning over and stealing a chaste kiss. 'Don't stress, I'm right here for ya.'  
'Alright, you're almost ready Ratchet. Just another couple of minutes for the separation to finish.' Wheeljack coaxed, very carefully attaching the deflector to keep Ratchet's spark out of the way while he worked.

Howling in pain again, Ratchet writhed against the firm grip Ironhide had on him, their child seemingly reluctant to let go of the carrier spark. Refusing to interfere with the sparklet's progress, Wheeljack could only watch on and hope the last tendrils would soon fade out.  
'Wheeljack, isn't there anything you can do? He's strugglin' here.' Ironhide asked, doing what he could to ease Ratchet's pain.  
'I could but there's a risk of damaging the sparklet. I don't want to do that.'  
'Please Wheeljack, do something. I can't stand seeing him like this.'  
'I interfere and we'll have more trouble than Ratchet's pain. Cutting that last tether before the sparklet is ready could offline your child instantly. I am not risking it!'

Hands locked around Ironhide's forearms, Ratchet wasn't sure how much more of this he could take before demanded Wheeljack interfere but he had to try. Grunting softly as Ratchet's hands tightened up in pain, Ironhide stoically bore the discomfort and leant in to soothe his mate, foreheads resting together. He couldn't take much more of this either, Ratchet's agony was tearing his spark into pieces and there was nothing he could to about it.  
'It's fading…almost there…just hang in there Ratchet, it's almost time.' Wheeljack grinned, collecting the silent body and making ready for the transfer.  
'You're doing great Ratch, keep it up. I've got ya, I'm still right here.' Ironhide coaxed, knowing he'd need someone to help straighten out the plating on his arms but he didn't care.  
'Don't let go 'Hide.'  
'Never Ratch, I'll always be with ya.'

At last the final connecting tendril faded away, the moment of birth had come to the family. Reaching in with the specially designed forceps, Wheeljack lifted out the tiny spark and placed it in the still body in his arms, smiling at it pulsed with a healthy rhythm. Carefully closing up the chest compartment, he kept a sharp optic on the awakening systems, wanting to be absolutely certain that this little one would be okay. Systems humming into life, the new sparklet screamed and reached out for someone else. Gently releasing Ratchet's grip, Ironhide walked over and collected the sparklet, cradling the new life to his chest. Closing up his chest plates, Ratchet sat up a little and smiled tiredly as he watched Ironhide bonding with their child. Turning back to Ratchet, Ironhide gently placed their blessing in Ratchet's arms.  
'Congratulations to you both, she's beautiful.' Wheeljack offered, moving back to give the family some privacy.

Cooing tiredly as he gazed at their child, Ratchet smiled and cradled her close, Ironhide coming around to support them both. She was absolutely beautiful, brilliant white and dark blue plating a perfect combination of her parents. Even at such a tender age, she was destined to be a blocky femme, not quite as heavy set as Ironhide but certainly not a flimsy femme. Instead of common blue optics, hers were a vibrant green, a further nod to Ratchet's colours. She had facial features like Ironhide's, armour styling similar to Ratchet and would upgrade into a very imposing looking femme.  
'Welcome to the world, dear Nimrah. I'm your carrier.'  
'Nimrah?' Wheeljack asked, looking at the proud parents in confusion.  
'Martian for Precious Gift, we felt it fit with her unique sparking.' Ironhide explained, reaching around Ratchet to lightly stroke her arm lovingly. 'She's our wonderful gift.'  
'She sure is Ironhide. Nimrah, daughter of Ironhide and Ratchet, the first Autobot to be sparked on Earth.' Ratchet agreed, unable to take his eyes off their daughter even as he removed a cube of sparkling-grade from his subspace. 'Knew it was a good idea to be carrying this around. Here we go darling.' he grinned, coaxing her to drink up.  
'Ready to go home Ratch?' Ironhide asked, knowing Ratchet had wanted a home birth for their little girl.  
'Yeah, Nimrah's first experience of life shouldn't be here.' Ratchet nodded, allowing Ironhide to take Nimrah from his arms once she'd finished her first meal. 'It's a good thing you've got strong shoulders 'Hide, I'm not going to be up to much for a few days.'  
'It's alright Ratch, don't worry. I'm here to take care of you. I love you both so much. I've got ya, both of ya.' Ironhide soothed, easing Ratchet onto his feet and tucking him close. 'Lean on me Ratch, you're okay.'  
'Thanks 'Hide.'

Making their way out of the repair bay, Ironhide transmitted a proud announcement over the public comms system, sharing their wonderful news with everyone in one fell swoop.  
"My friends, my brothers; today brings a wonderful blessing on this compound. Fifteen minutes ago, Ratchet gave life to a beautiful femme that will forever be known as Nimrah. We ask for some privacy for a few days to properly bond with our daughter and ensure she is healthy and off to the best start possible."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Choking down his laughter as he pried Throttle and his bros out from beside Bumblebee's house, Blade grinned and led them down the road, adjusting his comm and listening to the incoming reports from around the compound.  
'What was all that screaming about?' Vinnie asked, smoothing out his fur quickly.  
'Judging by the volume, pitch and the radio reports coming in, our numbers were just increased by one. I knew Ratchet was due but wasn't expecting it today.'  
'One of those Autobots just had a child, is that what you're sayin'?' Modo asked, moving aside as Ironhide and Ratchet made their way past.  
'Yep, that's the happy family. Ratchet in the green and while, Ironhide in dark blue and you can just make out a trace of Nimrah's blue and white plating there.'  
'Whoa, so they really are just like us. I thought you were messing around bro.' Throttle remarked, watching the family walk past.  
'Not a chance, I take life around here very seriously. Ratchet's gonna be out of action for a few days, meaning the Autobots don't have access to a trained medic anymore. Wheeljack's got some knowledge of repairs but he's more scientist than medic.' Blade explained, typing in his access code and swinging open the smaller door beside the roller door. 'Come on in guys, but keep it down. Optimus isn't at his shining best right now so just wait here.' he added, heading for the stairs.

Kicking off his boots at the top of the stairs, Blade darted along the upper walkways to reach the bedroom. Leaning on the railing, he watched Optimus for a few moments, a tender smile on his face as he fell in love all over again.  
'Optimus, we've got company. You gonna wake up?' he coaxed, swinging over the railing and climbing down to stand on Optimus' chest plates. 'Come on sleeping beauty, wakey-wakey.'  
'Hhmmmm, Blade? That you?' Optimus groaned, optics lighting up slowly.  
'Yeah Optimus, I'm back. You feeling up for visitors? Three Martians that just arrived.'  
'Of course, just give me a moment.'  
'By all means, I'll go get them. You sort yourself out.' Blade chuckled, grabbing the climbing rope just near Optimus' shoulder and scrambling up smoothly.

Sitting up slowly, Optimus groaned and eased his back up against the solid wall, feeling absolutely miserable after his accident a few days previous. Shifting until he was comfortable in the corner, he pulled the blankets up and tucked a couple extra pillows behind his back so he was as comfortable as possible.  
'Bros, meet the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. Be fair, he's not looking his usual best at the moment, another couple weeks and he'll be fine.' Blade explained, leading the trio back along the walkways.  
'Vinnie, think before you open your mouth.' the tan warned, glancing at the white at his side. 'Good afternoon Optimus Prime. I am Throttle and these are my bros, Vinnie and Modo.'  
'Good afternoon Throttle, Vinnie and Modo.' Optimus replied, chuckling as Blade swung off the railing and onto his shoulder gently.  
'May I ask what happened to you, Optimus Prime?' Modo asked, watching Blade settle contentedly.  
'Optimus is fine, Modo. I was asked to collect some parts that the mechanical team required. I had almost made it home after three weeks on the road when some fool crossed into my lane. I tried to avoid the impact but was unsuccessful. My entire left side was caved in and the two trailers of supplies I was hauling tipped onto the highway. Not my best moment.' Optimus replied, indicating the dented plating on his left arm. 'Emily was less than impressed with the situation, it was quite expensive for her to clean up the mess left behind.'  
'You're just lucky she could find a heavy tow truck at that hour of the night. The parts and tools can be replaced but you, you're irreplaceable and don't you forget it.' Blade added, surprising the other three in the room with his audacity to speak to such a large being so bluntly.  
'I won't Blade, Ratchet already administered a stern warning about that. I still have the dent to prove it.'  
'What's one more dent?'  
'Vinnie, what did I say about thinking before speaking?'  
'It's okay Throttle, I really don't mind.' Optimus chuckled, turning his head and pointing to a crescent shaped dent on the right hand side. 'This one came from Ratchet, he is really quite a good shot with a wrench.'  
'Hang on, the medic we just saw outside hit ya? That makes no sense.'  
'Ratchet has a fierce temper, we're all used to it by now. He tends to get wound up about stupid injuries and this lot definitely counts as stupid. I deserved the extra dent, I should have been paying more attention.'

Focus drawn to a very familiar image on the wall, Throttle couldn't believe what he was seeing. He'd never expected to see the grand symbol of Ares there on a wall in an Autobot's bedroom. Staring in wonder and disbelief, he mentally checked the image for imperfections but there were none, the display was exactly as it should be.  
'I asked Belta for her divine guidance in finding a guiding hand for Optimus. The Great and Powerful Ares selected Optimus as his own.' Blade offered, pointing out the matching statuette on the bedside table.  
'You're teaching the Autobots about our religion now as well?'  
'But of course Throttle, it's a fair trade. We teach the Autobots about our gods and in return, they teach us of theirs. Admittedly, most would not see the trade of 30 for 1 as fair but it matters little to us. As time goes by, we will teach the Autobots more of our gods and see that they are welcomed into loving arms somewhere along the way.'  
'And the gods are listening to your prayers as well Optimus?'  
'I have asked for little so far but they hear my prayers and respond accordingly. Guidance, hope and support, these are the things I need most of all now and Ares understands that. Blade explained that the gods react to all of us differently but I truly believe that Ares has placed his hand upon my shoulder.' Optimus replied, reaching out to trail his fingertips over the statuette at his side.  
'If you are aware of him, then Ares has made his presence known to you.' Throttle nodded, remembering his first encounter with Ares, when he was just a young man.

Grabbing the nearest climbing rope and scrambling up, Blade took off along the walkways at a sprint, one hand pressed to his comm as he tugged his boots on and thundered down the stairs.  
'Do not be alarmed, there is a situation outside that requires Blade's attention. He will return once he has sorted it out.'  
'Wait a minute, I recognise you now. You were in Chicago 18 months ago.' Vinnie demanded, the sudden anger shocking Optimus.  
'Yes, we were all there, in one way or another.' Optimus confirmed, briefly wondering where this discussion was going.  
'It's all your fault! You're the ones who killed her!' Vinnie hollered, a flicker of pain coming through his eyes before it was replaced with pure fury and hatred.  
'Vincent, now isn't the time. We don't know for sure who it was. Come on, calm down bro.' Throttle tried, wrapping his arms around Vinnie's shoulders.  
'I will not calm down! These creatures killed Charley and you know it!'  
'You have no proof Vincent. These are the good guys, I seriously doubt they had anything to do with it.'  
'But you don't know for certain!' Modo countered, working to pry Vinnie and Throttle apart.

Unconcerned by the sound of the roller door opening, the three mice continued their argument until another Autobot appeared in the bedroom, clearly annoyed about all the noise.  
'Shut it, the lot of ya!' he barked, glancing at Optimus for a moment before turning his gaze back towards the three arguing mice.  
'Thank you Wheeljack, I was not certain how to calm them.' Optimus nodded, still eyeing the three mice warily.  
'Alright you three, out with you. Optimus needs his rest if he's going to recover from that accident. Go on, get.' Wheeljack growled, knowing that if he didn't calm the situation down, Ratchet would try to get involved. 'Go on, get out of here and bug someone else!'  
'Okay, we're going.' Throttle replied, turning and stalking back to where he'd left his boots.  
'Back down you go Optimus, you should be resting.' Wheeljack continued, gently guiding Optimus down onto his back.  
'I have no idea what that was all about.' Optimus sighed, settling comfortably and pulling up his blankets. 'Kindly tell Blade I do not wish to be disturbed again, unless he's coming in alone.'  
'You've got it Optimus. Recharge in peace.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cleaning her sidearm as she waited for Christine to come back for another measuring session, Emily was rather surprised to see Falcon, Plate and Tank muscling their guests towards the house. Getting to her feet to go find out what the deal was, she was stopped by the ringing of her phone. Rolling her eyes at the called ID that appeared, she obediently flipped the phone open and pressed it to her ear.  
'Black Hunter here, speak.'  
'…'  
'I don't work for free, no matter who is asking.'  
'…'  
'I do not care. You will pay the standard service fee or I won't do the job.'  
'…'  
'I don't work for anything less than 2 million, no questions asked. Pay up or find someone else.'  
'…'  
'It is not up for negotiation. You pay my fee or I don't work. It's really that simple. I'm not running a charity establishment here and you know it. Now, I suggest you go back to the President and explain the situation.'  
'…'  
'Make it quick, I have other duties to attend to.'

Stepping outside to deal with that situation, she kept her ear to her phone and sighed, wondering if she'd made a mistake but quickly banishing the thought. The compound needed income if it was going to survive in her hands.  
'Falcon, sitrep.'  
'These three got into a screaming match in Optimus' quarters. Apparently Blade took them in there to meet Optimus but was called away to a situation with the twins. Vinnie recognised Optimus from Chicago and blamed him for the death of Charlene Davidson, their human friend and caretaker.'  
"Black Hunter, we have a deal."  
'One moment Mr Jordan, FBI.' Emily replied, pressing her phone to her shoulder. 'Falcon, I really don't have time for this right now. Take them somewhere private and go through the helmet footage from Chicago, see what you can find. If you still can't figure it out by the time I get back, I'll see what I can do.' she sighed, dismissing the group with a flick of her hand and turning her attention back to her phone call.

Glancing at each other and coming to an agreement, the security team released their charges and motioned for them to follow, the imposing figures of the security team enough to convince the new arrivals to behave. Making their way up the road, they entered the last house in the row, Plate and Tank greeting their bikes before heading inside.  
'Sit down you three, we have a lot to show you.' Falcon instructed, staying by the door as Tank and Plate hooked their TV into the base computer so they could access the recorded footage from Chicago. 'Every Autobot and Martian combatant on the battlefield of Chicago had their helmet or optic cams constantly recording what they saw. All that footage was compiled, scanned and sorted into a full library of the battle. Using this library, we should be able to find the truth about what happened to Charley. Provided of course that she wasn't killed at the garage.' he explained, easing down onto the floor and relaxing a little.  
'No, she was out getting supplies for us when the battle came to Chicago.' Throttle replied, hanging his head sadly and sighing. 'She was just going for hot dogs and root beer, she should only have been gone for a few minutes.'  
'We'll find the truth Throttle, it'll just take a few minutes. There are around 70 different feeds to search, it's a lot of footage to hunt through for one face.' Plate offered, sliding out the attached keyboard and inputting the key name they wanted to find.

Images scrolling almost too fast to follow, the system started putting up various zoomed in images of Charley, some where she was still alive and others where she'd already died.  
'That one Plate, Ratchet's third input feed. Bring that up full sized.' Tank snapped, spotting something in the rapid-fire videos.  
'On it Tank.' Plate nodded, filing away the other vid marks and bringing up the selected one.  
'Back it up, I want to see where she came from.'

Staring at the screen, the three stunned bros watched as Charley was caught up in a group trying to escape, shouldering through the masses and hunting for a place to hide. One of the battling brutes stepped on a group of humans caught in the open, Charley right in the middle of the group. Charging forward, Ratchet engaged the enemy standing on the humans and threw him aside, descending on the enemy with a deadly force. Once the enemy had been successfully chased away, Ratchet turned and knelt beside the humans, carefully separating the dead, setting them all safely inside a damaged building. Lifting Charley's broken body into his hands, he reached for the building but paused when she moved, still clinging desperately to life. Shifting her carefully into one hand, Ratchet did his best to save her life, stabilising injuries and easing her pain but it was all for nothing and she passed away, blood tricking from her mouth as Ratchet gently closed her eyes and tucked her safely in the rubble. Rising to his feet and looking back at where he'd placed the bodies, Ratchet turned his attention back to the battle and charged, firing on the enemy troops as he ran.

Pausing the feed, Plate hung his head and turned to the bros, words escaping him as he gazed at their tear-stained faces. There was nothing anyone could say, nothing that would ease the pain of what they'd just seen.  
'I'm sorry bros, I really am. Charley was a great woman, Emily hired her a few times when discretion was required.' Falcon uttered, lifting his gaze to the couch.  
'She was just going out for hot dogs and root beer, we asked her to go even though there was enough in the garage for us.' Throttle whispered, shaking his head slowly. 'It's our fault.'  
'No, don't ever say that Throttle. You had no idea this was going to happen. Soundwave did it, he took her from this world.' Tank insisted, scooting across the floor and taking Throttle's wrists in his hand. 'It wasn't your fault Throttle, Charley wouldn't want you shouldering the blame.'  
'She's in a better place now, a place where war cannot harm her beauty. She's safe now, Gen-Duv will protect her.' Plate added, crossing the room and wrapping one arm around Vinnie's shoulders.  
'Gen-Duv doesn't know Charley-Ma'am, we never asked for the blessings she deserved.' Modo replied, so close to breaking but he was trying to be strong.  
'So long as you believe, Gen-Duv will find Charley and see that she reaches the light. Believe that Benka will save her soul and allow her to pass into Gen-Duv's realm safely.' Falcon guided, moving around to take Modo's hands in his own. 'You know what to do, guarantee her safe passage into the afterlife.'

Nodding slowly, Modo eased off the couch and onto his knees, fishing a photo out of his wallet and cradling it in his palms, fresh tears falling at he gazed at the happy face he'd never see again. Joining Modo on the floor, Vinnie and Throttle gently touched the photo and bowed their heads, thoughts drifting to Charley. Knowing that neither of his bros would have the words to ask Benka to find Charley and see her to safety, Throttle took the lead, using the true Martian language to reach out and ask for Charley's eternal soul to be seen safely through to the afterlife. He had no way to know for certain if Benka would hear him and respond to his prayers for a human but he had to try, for Charley's sake.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Safely returned from the government sanctioned mission and feeling better now that there was some extra cash in the accounts, Emily was feeling more confident about her next big job and all the dangers that it would entail. But there was one big reason why she couldn't just up and disappear, she had family responsibilities to think about. Donning the translation unit and jogging through the compound, she found her dear twins sitting quietly under Wheeljack's watch. Optics brightening, the pair struggled to their feet and headed for her, reaching out for attention and reconnection after four days separated. Crouching and gathering the pair to her chest, Emily trilled and chirred at them happily, glad to see they were doing so well after the separation.  
'Thanks for looking after the kids for me Wheeljack, I'm sure they kept you busy.'  
'Nothing to it Emily. Perceptor was a great help with them too. He seemed to enjoy being the older brother.'  
'Have you seen Throttle anywhere? We're supposed to be organising a trip to Mars to face the War Tribunal on behalf of 14.'  
'Last I saw, he was talking with Bee over by the lake. Not sure if he's still there.'  
'Thanks Jack, I'll find him. We need to talk about the upcoming mission, I'm not leaving the twins for that long. It's not that I don't trust the gang but I'd feel better if our bond wasn't disrupted for that long.'  
'Fair call Emily, it's always a bad idea to leave sparklings behind when they're that young. Can cause all kinds of trouble.'  
'Appreciate the heads up Wheeljack. I'll tell Throttle about that little detail. Chat later.'

Drawing comfort from the twins tucked against her chest, she headed towards the lake, catching sight of his brilliant yellow armour and smiling. No matter how bad things were outside the compound, the easy relaxation and comfort found within these walls always put a smile back on her face. Right now Bee was flaked out on the ground, soaking up the sun and watching out for some of their friends, among them the three newest mice to arrive in the compound.  
'Hey, welcome home Emily. How was it this time?' Torque called, waving to her happily.  
'couldn't have been better Torque, I got away clear.' she replied, looking to Bumblebee for permission before perching on his hand comfortably, the twins settled on her lap. 'Anything interesting happen while I was away?'  
'Optimus made a total ass of himself, he tried the jumps track and fucked it up. Went off the jump nicely but didn't have quite enough speed, knew he wouldn't make the landing and tried to transform to land that way. Misjudged the gap and went sprawling in the dust across jump 5. Most of the bros saw it, couple of them recorded it and within the hour, everyone had a copy of the footage.' Slash replied, wading out of the water and accepting his towel.  
'Damn, woulda liked to see the great Optimus Prime foul it up like that. Ah well, we all have bad days, I reckon he'll get up and have another go one of these days.'  
'Ratchet and Ironhide were doing the rounds earlier, proudly showing off their little Nimrah. She's a beautiful little one, gonna be interesting to see how she grows up.' Bee added, shifting a little when his back armour got a little too hot. 'She's going to be a little firecracker, that's for sure.'  
'Coming from Ironhide and Ratchet, Nimrah's gonna be more than a little firecracker, Bee. She's going to be one hell of a warrior with a bad temper and a deadly aim. Quick to anger but trained to heal, she's going to be a study in contrasts.' Emily replied, shifting onto his hand properly and relaxing as he sat up and got comfortable again.  
'All the preparations are ready for us to head back to Mars and face the War Tribunal. Christine's finished your outfit and cloak and Ratchet has explained the need for you to keep your twins close seeing as we could be gone for a couple of weeks. Revs organised the gear you'll need to survive on Mars and Wheeljack organised what would be needed for the twins. Everything's loaded on the ship and I've informed the War Tribunal that we're coming.' Throttle briefed, climbing onto Bumblebee's other hand and transferring across to sit beside Emily.  
'Now that's taking charge of the situation. If it's not going to be too much of a problem, I'd like to spend some time with the gang before disappearing again. They are all my responsibilities, it's on my shoulders to keep everyone well supplied and happy with their living conditions here.'  
'Of course, it's safer to leave after dark anyway. The cloaking module on that particular Trisi doesn't work properly, not surprising really but a real problem for sneaking around.'  
'Ask the Mechanic team to take a look, they'll figure it out. Wheelie and his team are some of the best. You might not get many uses out of it but they'll at least get it working again.'  
'Nah, the Trisi class is being phased out, no point messing around with them anymore. The new Trali class is already on the flight lines in a few places and more are coming out every day.'

Adjusting the twins on her lap, Emily reached under her jacket and pulled out two sparkling bottles, spinning them in her hands and trilling to comfort the pair as she offered them their next meal. Grasping her wrists gently in their hands, the pair chirred and snuggled back into her warmth, optics dimming as they relaxed and recharged.  
'Those two must keep you fairly busy.' Throttle remarked, watching Emily tending to her sparklings.  
'Actually, they're pretty good that way. They know I'm their mother and stay close to me at all times when I am available. It breaks my heart to leave them when I must, they cry desperately for my return. I've heard the stories from my friends when I leave, the twins aren't the joyful bundles of energy I know. I'm sure you've noticed how quiet they've been since I left.'  
'Yeah, I thought that was normal for such young Autobots though.'  
'Not a chance, they're usually little bundles of life and joy. For now they are quiet, reaffirming the family bond and finding comfort in my loving embrace. Once they are sure I won't leave them again, they will be back to their usual antics.'  
'Those two are the cutest little Autobots. I'm still getting used to the Autobots but these two are the cutest of the lot. I can only assume that they too transform.'  
'Eventually they will but right now they're too young to be figuring out their transformations. It'll be at least 5 years before their first transformation and around 8 before they're fluid with their transformations. Until they get it, I'll have to be around to untangle their accidents. It'll happen, every Cybertronian faces the tangle during their younger years. Ain't that right, Bee?'  
'For sure Emily, it's part of being who we are. We've all had transformations we'd rather forget, even as older, more mature people. Kup had one just last week, nearly tore his own leg off.' Bee nodded, resting his hand on his raised knee so the group in his hand were safer. 'Few years before we arrived on Earth, Optimus had a big one. Took one too many hits to the head and scrambled his entire transformation sub-routines. He started the sequence and got in the biggest tangle I've ever seen. Needed the whole team to get him untangled and sorted out again.'

Finishing their meals and chirring contentedly, the twins burrowed closer to Emily's chest, seeking her loving touch and comforting voice. Activating her translator, Emily warned Throttle to be quiet before lifting her twins up and holding them close, chittering and whistling to them as they wrapped their spindly little arms around her neck. Watching on in amazement, Throttle listened to the complex language shared between Emily and her tiny charges. Some of the noises were similar to the sounds his Lady made when trying to communicate but this language was so much more complex.  
'Cybertronian, our native tongue. At their age, Rumble and Frenzy are too young to understand English, much less speak it. Emily uses the translator that Windvest made for her to make the conversations easy on everyone. As far as her little angles are concerned, Emily's always had that translation unit and it's part of her, as integral as my battle mask or armour.' Bumblebee explained quietly, not wanting to disturb the family.  
'Right, I'll keep that in mind Bee, thanks.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Wondering why Windvest had asked for her to swing by his workshop before leaving, Emily was surprised to see a new translation unit sitting in the cradle on his workbench. This one was a big step up from her current unit, several new components attached to the strengthened and updated translation unit.  
'What you got for me Windvest?'  
'Finished the Mark III upgrades for the system. Visual enhancements, tactical display, weapons ID, the 360 display augmentations, Autobot commlink link and the latest translation package.'  
'Good, I was starting to wonder how much longer I'd be working with this particular translation program, it's got some big gaps. Vocab on the new program?'  
'75,000 words. I've also updated our current weapon library to contain all the latest Martian kit. Throttle was a big help with that, technology has changed a little back home but you should be able to track all weapons that you're likely to encounter.'  
'Nice work Windvest, the perfect accessory for the situation I'm heading into.' Emily praised, checking the twins were safe near the door before reaching up and removing her much more basic model.

Helping Emily fit the new model into place, Windvest felt a certain pride to see her in his newest creation but also a bit of sadness that it covered up so much more of her beautiful face. Rechecking all the connections and tightening things down, he made sure the fit was perfect and that nothing was digging into her skin or catching in her hair. He'd thought long and hard on the colour for her visor and eventually settled on a deep golden yellow. The shape of the visor was very similar to Jazz's, the upper edge curving over her forehead and the lower edge coming to a point over her nose.   
'How's it feel Emily?' he asked, checking the last connections were firmly anchored where they belonged.  
'It's good Windvest, I can see everything around me and am reading all the tactical info on your workshop. I also see your sidearms and the small throwaway in your boot. This is amazing Windvest.'  
'Thanks Emily, all the Autobots have been a big help with the translation program. There are still more advances to be made to have a fully functioning and viable battle system but for now, this is the best we've got.'  
'It'll get a thorough test on Mars, I've got no idea what I'm facing there.' Emily grinned, hugging him close for a moment before collecting her twins and leaving the workshop.

Making her way slowly through the combined group and saying her goodbyes to all her cherished friends, she made sure the bigger troublemakers promised to behave and got plenty of reassurances from the more level-headed ones that they would keep the team in line until she returned from the mission. Whistling for Harley and chuckling as he came racing towards her with her helmet and the sparkling harness already in place, she relaxed a little more and watched as Falcon's team dragged Stoker and Carbine out of the brig and across to the waiting transport. Carbine was still swearing up a storm but Stoker seemed resigned to his fate, knowing he wouldn't be able to dodge the War Tribunal over this one.  
'I'd still feel better if we had some kind of a security force with us for the ride. Carbine and Stoker are still held in high regard by most Martians, correct?'  
'We already figured something out Emily, just relax. Blaster suggested we take Eject and Rewind along with us, they'll be using holograms to disguise their true identities and are more than capable of handling Stoker and Carbine.' Throttle replied, indicating the two extra mice in Falcon's team. Both new arrivals were white furred but one wore blue and the other black, solidifying their identities to anyone who knew them.  
'That'll work nicely Throttle, well chosen.' Emily praised, feeling even more confident now that she knew she wasn't totally alone on this mission. 'Identical brothers, about what I expected from those two.'  
'I'm honestly surprised Blaster is letting them go, he doesn't seem to like letting them out of his sight.'  
'Blaster also knows that if anything happens to me, everything in this compound goes back to Army control and nobody here wants that. He knows I'll take care of them, whatever happens.'

Showing that they'd been studying Martian behaviour, Blaster's twins mounted up and rode to their father, deactivating their holograms and transforming for one last family hug before they left. Visor indicating that Ratchet was behind her, Emily smiled and turned, all too aware that he was staring at her new translation equipment.  
'Updated version Ratchet, you can get the rundown from Windvest. Everything will be okay Ratch, I'll take care of the away team and see them safely back to the compound. I can handle the multitasking, I've faced bigger challenges with less support.'  
'Be safe Emily, these two little angels need you most of all. We'll keep things together down here, you've got a bigger challenge to face. The fate of 14 rests on your shoulders, no one else can protect them as you do.'  
'I will Ratchet, I'll bring the team home safe and restore honour to a truly brilliant unit. Keep the lights on for us, we'll be home before you know it.' Emily offered, setting the twins down and reaching up to grasp Ratchet's offered fingers in both hands. 'Take care of the family while I'm gone Ratchet, this is the first time you've all been together without me to guide the way. Don't let Lennox and Witwicky push you around, you're still under my protection.'  
'We'll handle it Emily, you just focus on what you need to do. The bros are counting on you to protect them and give them a chance to reconnect with their home. Be safe, take care of the team and we'll see you again when you get back.' Ratchet replied, lightly running one finger down her back.

Battling her emotions, Emily picked up her twins and whistled for Harley again, chuckling when she saw him sitting on the ramp, waiting so patiently to get going.  
'Prisoners are secure Emily, you're good to go.'  
'Thanks Falcon. Eject, Rewind, time to board!'  
'Bye dad, we'll keep the bond open.'  
'Be safe you two, I'll be waiting for your safe return.'  
'I'll take good care of your boys Blaster, I promise they'll make it home safely.'  
'Emily, can I pull you away for a moment? There's something I need to tell you.'  
'Comm me Blaster, we really have to go.'  
"I'm putting a lot of trust in you Emily. I originally had six children, my other four were killed in the war. Eject and Rewind are all I have left, please take good care of them."  
"I'll protect them Blaster, they will not leave my sight until we are safely back on friendly soil. With this headset, I can immediately evaluate a situation and establish the safest locations for your boys. Trust in me Blaster, I'll bring your sons home safely."  
"Thank you Emily. Thank you so much."  
"Watch the skies Blaster, we'll be home soon."

Pausing at the top of the ramp, Emily turned back and let her gaze drift over the assembled team, glad to see everyone had gathered to see the team off on the journey. Shifting her twins into her left arm, she waved to the group before disappearing into the ship. Watching the ship leave, the team immediately felt the gap left behind with Emily's absence. They'd faced time without her before but she was always in range if they desperately needed her. With this flight, she was leaving their radio contact, meaning only Blaster would be able to reach her and even then only through his sons.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Peering out through the forward windows as the ship raced across the landscape, Emily couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd heard of the damage done to Mars during the endless wars raged across the planet but actually seeing the war ravaged planet was still a shock.  
'What happened to this place?' Rewind asked, appearing beside Emily.  
'It's absolutely destroyed.' Eject added, coming up on Emily's other side.  
'This is the result of six wars. Three against the Plutarkians and three against the Catatonians; at least that was the last count I heard.' Emily replied, cradling her twins close and keeping them turned away from the destruction.  
'Actually, the last count was seven. We just ended the First Combined Strike War. Plutarkian and Catatonian forces came united but we pushed them off again.' Throttle corrected, looking up from the controls. 'There aren't many of us left now, the last war cost the Martian people dearly. Best estimations, there are only around 1000 Martians left on Mars.'  
'Whatever happens Throttle, the enforced return of SAU 14 to Martian soil isn't on the table. We have a deal with the American government, a deal that is keeping a lot of people alive and healthy. I break that deal, I lose the Autobots, the Martians and my freedom. They stay on Earth, they're safer there and happy to be free.'  
'I wasn't going to suggest they come back to Mars. There's barely enough food and water here to support the population we have left. Scouting parties are being sent out into the galaxy to look for new places to settle but there's nothing much available in this galaxy. We've actually got raiding teams making trips to Earth to steal any supplies they possibly can to help our people survive. It's a risk but we're out of options.'  
'Shoulda thought to keep the supply line open with the Army. If I'd kept the line open we coulda swung the extra supplies your way Throttle. You guys would have to make the pickup, we ain't got any ships of our own.'  
'No point Emily, we ain't planing on heading back once we finish this mission with the War Tribunal. That's why we're stuck with this old bucket of bolts, no one cares if it doesn't come back from Earth. Of course, we'll only stick around if you'll welcome us in Emily. We've got no place else to turn, not since Charley girl died.'  
'Of course you're welcome to join us Throttle. I'll have to bring in a construction team to build a new house in the compound for you guys but that's no real big deal. I know some people that can get the job done real fast. There's a spot in the Martian accommodation section that will fit your home. It'll mean putting you in behind the little brothers of the team but I'm sure you'll learn to behave… once the rest of the team has a go at you if you disturb the pair.'  
'Ah, Terrence and Stephen. We were warned about those two. We've already been told of the rules regarding Terry and Steve.' Modo nodded, getting to his feet. 'Emily Ma'am, you've been holding your sons all trip, can I be of any assistance?'  
'If they'll accept you Modo. Not sure how they'll go, they're quite clingy towards their mother.' Emily replied, carefully handing the pair over. They surprised her though, burrowing close to Modo's chest instead of their usual complaining about being away from Emily's embrace.

Smiling softly, Emily walked over to where she'd left the last of her gear and picked up her cloak, enjoying the feel of the soft black fur against her hands. Gazing at the embroidery done in shimmering silver thread, she flicked the long cloak out and spun it around her shoulders, securing the ornate gold clasp and rolling her shoulders to settle the warm fur comfortably around her body. Adjusting the sunset glow orange belt around her waist, she smiled and adjusted her headset before flipping her hood up and returning to Modo's side. Registering their mother was back, Frenzy and Rumble pulled away from Modo and launched back into her arms, burrowing into her sides under the warmth of the cloak.  
'Don't look so surprised Modo, they know my body signature as their mother. They'll always return to my embrace and will cling for as long as I can hold their weight. Far as I'm concerned they can hang off my sides like this for as long as they want, they're always going to be small.' she chuckled, folding her cloak back to reveal the pair gripping her shirt. Legs wrapped around her waist and little bodies tucked in against her well sculpted sides, the pair were totally happy to be there, safe under her arms.  
'They certainly do look comfortable snuggled in against you like that Emily Ma'am.'  
'this is normal for them, sparklings brought into being like these two were are naturally clingy and develop much faster if allowed to cling for as long as they want. It's no real impediment to me, they're light enough to carry around like this and more than capable of moving onto different perches if they want. From here they're only too happy to climb up onto my shoulders or slide down my legs to sit on the floor but they'll never willingly let go of me unless I lift them clear.'

Waving Modo over to take the controls, Throttle stood and approached Emily, looking her over quickly and adjusting her cloak to sit properly over her shoulders.  
'Do you know what you're going to say to the War Tribunal when we first face them?'  
'Yes Throttle, I know exactly what I have to say and do. We've been over it six times since we left Earth, I've got it under control.'  
'Alright, give it to me then. Let's make sure you've got it down.'  
'Throttle, I am not going over my entire speech with you right now. This is my fight, it's on my shoulders alone to provide SAU 14 with the safety and freedom they deserve. I am their patron, their guardian and their protector. I am blessed by Faumra and chose this path to ensure their safety and survival. They are my responsibility, not yours Throttle.'  
'Alright, alright, point taken Emily. I'll be around if you need any guidance dealing with the War Tribunal.'  
'Appreciate that Throttle but I'm not as un-diplomatic as Blade makes me out to be. I know a few things about dealing with tribunals and other such organisations.'  
'That's not what I've heard.'  
'And there's the proof that Emily's more the diplomat than you are Throttle.' Eject sniggered, hand on Emily's shoulder.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Head held high, Emily strode into the Tribunal Hall and headed for the speakers' platform, Eject and Rewind at her shoulders. Lifting her gaze to the thirteen members of the War Tribunal, she nodded faintly and settled her cloak tight around her body, protecting her twins without anyone realising they were even there. Dropping her chin a little, she saw Throttle and his bros in the gallery below the seating of the Tribunal, adding their support to her case. Across the chamber, Carbine and Stoker sat on a second platform, wrists bound behind their backs.

Folding her hood back and smoothing it over her shoulders, Emily was careful not to reveal her twins as she went over her opening speech to the War Tribunal. Knowing they were staring at her headset, she waited patiently for the signal that their session was to begin, drawing strength from the bigger twins at her back. Then she heard a signal, the deep rumble of an ancient gong and stepped forward, locking gazes with the chairwoman of the Tribunal.  
'Chairwoman Fender, Councillors of this War Tribunal, you honour me with this meeting. I am Commander Third Grade Emily Hunter, chosen patron and guardian of Stand Alone Unit 14. I have been accepted by Faumra and welcomed into her sacred embrace as if I was a true child of Mars. Senior Commander Fifth Grade Blade of Stand Alone Unit 14 sent me to speak with you on behalf of Stand Alone Unit 14. I carry with me the sacred Unit Seal, placed in his hands when he was first chosen to take command of this once great SAU. I come before you to speak of false missions and cruel mistreatment of a once proud SAU, their legacy tainted by the ugly words and misdeeds of Generals Carbine and Stoker. They signed off on a wrongful mission, banishing Stand Alone Unit 14 to Earth then drumming up false charges of varying natures to keep the brave personnel of Stand Alone Unit 14 from ever returning to the familiar lands from whence they came. For ten years they have looked up at the glow of Mars from their new home on Earth and wondered how things were going on their homeworld. They have accepted that Mars is a dying world but that does not mean that they no longer care about what happens to their homeworld. I have proof that the mission they were dispatched on served little purpose in the grand scheme. I have proof of the false charges raised against SAU 14's members. I have proof that their sacrifice meant nothing to these Generals that are in positions of such power over Stand Alone Unit 14.' she declared, hands coming out from under her cloak again to hold up the gilt seal of SAU 14.


	14. Home Again

Three weeks after leaving the compound, the battered old Trisi landed just inside the walls and fell silent, the ramp lowering with a jerk and a groan. Bursting out the door before the ramp had even finished extending, Eject and Rewind shot through the group and transformed, flying into Blaster's welcoming arms for all the love and affection they'd missed while they were gone. Next out the door, Harley led the three other bikes onboard through the gathering and over to the newest house in the compound. Blade felt a certain pride about the newest house in the compound, a building company had delivered all the parts in three semis and his bros had put it together rather than risk security by allowing an actual building crew into the compound. They'd done an admirable job on the construction; it looked just like the rest of the Martian homes.

Striding down the lowered ramp, Emily ignored everyone else as she headed to where Blade was waiting, the rest of the command team arranged behind him. Her twins were safely tucked against her sides, latched onto her usual black shirt with the reinforced panels in the sides to give the twins the stability they needed. Stopping in front of Blade, she reached into the large pouch on her belt and lifted out the Unit Seal, bowing her head as she offered it out respectfully. Shifting his weight back and bowing at the waist, Blade accepted the seal back and held it to his chest for a moment before resecuring it to his belt where it belonged.  
'Was your mission successful Commander Third Grade Emily?'  
'It was Senior Commander Fifth Grade Blade. The War Tribunal accepted the proof put before them and reversed all negative decisions made against Stand Alone Unit 14. You are welcome to return to your homeworld, war torn and scarred though it is now. All fifty-eight personnel files have been cleared of career ending false accusations and those that wish to return to their previous bases and units will be permitted to do so with your blessing.'  
'This is grand news indeed.'  
'Yes Sir. I have here the corrected personnel files for your own records and the full recording of Stand Alone Unit 14's plea to the War Tribunal.' Emily nodded, handing over a locked briefcase.  
'We appreciate your service Commander. Dismissed.' Blade grinned, keeping the case tucked close to his side as he walked away.

Released from the formalities of her return, she turned and searched the gathering slowly, searching for her favourites among the loved faces all around. Most of them were there, scattered around and smiling at her return but three, her true favourites among the Autobots, were suspiciously absent from the gathering.  
'Oi, Optimus! Where they hell are they?' she called, looking up to him for a straight answer.  
'They who?' Optimus tried, dodging the question smoothly.  
'Kup, I'm expecting a straight answer outta you. Where are they?' Emily repeated, turning her focus to the smaller bot beside Optimus and crossing her arms. 'No more dodging the question.'  
'They're in their quarters resting. They took some damage 17 days previous. Ratchet patched them up and sent them home to rest until their self repair systems have finished.' Kup replied, not wanting to face Emily's anger after seeing how angry she got if her friends were ever hurt.  
'What happened to them? I expect a full brief from you both.' Emily instructed, refusing to back down until she had her answers.

Offering his hand to Emily and relaxing slightly as she accepted his assistance, Optimus turned and headed to a quiet spot inside the walls, sinking to the ground and motioning for Kup to join him. Climbing back down to the ground, Emily made sure her twins were safe before turning her full attention back to the pair waiting for her.  
'Wheelie has been busy with some kind of holographic camouflage for help them blend in with the usual traffic on the roads. They were only gone a couple hours when Roadbuster put out an emergency call. Several of us rolled out to assist them but by the time we reached their location, whoever had attacked them was long gone. All we could do was load up the wounded and get out of the area before we were spotted.' Kup started, glancing over to the home of his charges.  
'What did you learn about the attackers?'  
'According to the reports from the team, the attackers were definitely Decepticons. They're in agreement on five attackers, one my size and the other four much smaller. That's about the only thing the three could agree on, they took quite the beating.' Optimus replied, more than a little surprised at how well Emily was taking the news.  
'We have gone over the recorded battle footage but as yet the Decepticons remain unidentified. We will continue to work on identifying them and will be more careful about when we leave this base.' Kup added, still expecting Emily to explode.  
'Oh, so it's okay now because you're taking precautions. You two really dropped the ball on this one; you both swore that you'd keep everyone safe while I was away. If I'd even had an inkling that you would fuck things up, I would never have left. Honestly, I'm shocked you're both so fuckin' calm about this mess. Have you informed N.E.S.T of what you discovered? No, that's not your style. You'd much prefer to keep this discrete.' Emily barked, the pair flinching from her barely restrained anger.

Just about everyone in the compound paused and turned when they heard Emily tearing someone a new one over what had happened. They were all surprised to see Kup and Optimus copping it from her but what with the incident with the wreckers and their unknown assailants, Emily's reaction was about what they expected. She certainly wasn't holding back, she was pissed off and made sure both senior Autobots knew exactly how she felt. Screaming and swearing up a storm, she held nothing back and let her true feelings towards the wreckers show. Everyone knew that she cared for all her friends, no matter their size or position within their individual armies but those three had wormed deeper into her heart than any others. She didn't stick to the English language either, bouncing around through the 25 different languages she knew fluently and tossing in words from the 50 odd other languages she wasn't so fluent in but never once did she activate her translator, wanting to keep her screaming rant from the understanding of her twins.

Finally the storm passed and she fell quiet, her eyes still hard but otherwise she was done. Inhaling deeply through her nose, she turned sharply on her heel and stalked away, leaving the pair too stunned to react to her departure. Eventually Optimus gathered his wits enough to turn his gaze towards Kup, still rattled to the core and feeling so very small.  
'Am I the only one that feels smaller than Brains right now?' he asked, reaching out to nudge Kup lightly.  
'Nope, I feel tiny. That was intense.' Kup replied, trembling slightly as he sat there.  
'Let us hope we never face Emily's wrath again.'  
'Agreed. You don't think she went a little over the top, do you?'  
'It is her way Kup. Somehow those three have gotten deeper into her heart than any others.'  
'We couldn't have known that there were still Decepticons on Earth.'  
'No excuse, we should have sent someone else to watch their backs. Emily trusted us to keep everyone safe and intact, we failed.'  
'Think she'll ever forgive us for that one?'  
'I hope so Kup but we will have to wait and find out. For now, I suggest we both stay well out of her way and out of their home as well. She will go see them and probably spend most of the day with them.'  
'But they're my team. I can't just abandon them.'  
'Then you risk Emily's wrath again.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Her negative feelings burned away thanks to a hard workout and her twins' safe under Modo's watch since he was the only one the pair really seemed to accept, Emily jogged back through the Autobot accommodation, smirking when Kup abruptly turned and walked away from her when he saw her. Slowing to a walk and approaching the smaller door, she rang the bell and entered, looking around quickly for the three. Usually when she swung by, they were relaxed together in the living room, watching whatever car racing happened to be on TV and wincing at the wrecks that inevitably happened. But today the TV was silent and the couch unoccupied. The desk was abandoned too; usually one of them was at the computer playing one of the many random games that had been installed on the mainframe deep under the base.  
'Buster? Spin? Lead? Where are you guys?' she called, reverting to the silly little nicknames she'd given them. They seemed to like them and had bragged about having nicknames when no one else in their unit did.  
'Emily? That ye?' Roadbuster replied, his accent unmistakeable to her even if he sounded off.  
'Yeah, I'm home guys.' Emily confirmed, racing up the stairs and around the upper walkways until she reached their shared berthroom.

The sight below her was more than a little concerning. The three tough guys were snuggled up as close together as they could possibly get, covered in dings, dents and the unmistakeable signs of Ratchet's repair work. Their paint was badly damaged as well, great big sections of grey undercoat on show all over them. But what worried her most of all was their expressions, they were afraid of something. She'd gotten good at picking emotions on mechanical faces but she'd never thought she'd see that particular look on any of them, much less all of them at once.  
'Hey now, what's wrong guys? Surely you're not afraid those bastards that got you earlier are gonna come here for another round?'  
'We're sorry Emily. We didn't mean to drop the ball like that.' Topspin offered, face screened by that vibrant blue mullet that Emily liked so much.  
'What? You guys didn't drop the ball, you stood up against a larger force and gave your best.'  
'We heard you yelling. We didn't mean to upset you.' Leadfoot added, safe between his taller brothers.  
'You heard…oh fuck.' Emily sighed, hanging her head. 'I wasn't yelling at you guys, you did nothing wrong. Wheelie and his team asked you to test the new holographic camouflage, didn't they?'  
'Yeah, but we could have said no. We didn't have to go out, sorry.' Roadbuster confirmed, refusing to lift his gaze to Emily.  
'I'm not upset with you, you were doing as asked. You had no way of knowing about those fuckin' Decepticons lurking around. I was yelling at Optimus and Kup for not sending someone else to watch your backs. You were focused on testing the camouflage, a fourth should have gone along to make sure no one was sneaking up on you.' Emily explained, climbing up to sit on the railing, guilt piling on her shoulders as she watched the trio.  
'We still failed in our mission Emily. We couldn't even so much as scratch the paint on those assholes.' Topspin sighed, finally looking up at her. 'All our combined firepower and not even one measly scratch.'  
'Feh, don't fuss over the little shit Spin. We've met with Decepticons before that took a lot of firepower to bring down. I remember one that needed all Martian hands and everything they had in their combined war arsenal to take down. We still required outside help to finish the destruction.'  
'But that's the thing, those five weren't huge. One was a semi like Prime, the other four were sports cars. We should have been enough to at least trash the smaller ones but we couldn't bring enough power to the fight.' Roadbuster shrugged, concerned that they hadn't been able to do what they were supposed to do. 'We failed in our mission, those five escaped our clutches. No Decepticon has ever managed that before.'  
'I don't care if those five got away, we'll find them again and destroy them together. I don't care who they are or what they're doing here. All I care about is that you three are alive and okay. You're all a little battered but that's no big deal, you'll be back to your best in no time. What matters most to me is that you're all still intact, still a part of this crazy family but most of all, still where I can always find you when I need you. Although I'd never admit this in public for fear of causing trouble in the ranks, you three are my favourites in the combined team. I've known the Martians for 10 long years and love them all like brothers but you three, in your own rough and ready way, worked your way deeper into my heart than any others in this compound.' Emily confessed, watching their faces change from fear to wonder at her words.

Shifting on the berth, Roadbuster reached over both his brothers to collect Emily from the railing and bring her down to them. Hopping off his hand once she was close enough, Emily landed lightly on Leadfoot's abdomen and climbed up, knowing she was perfectly safe around them despite their abrasive attitudes. Finding the place she wanted to be, she sunk down and curled up, safely tucked in a comfortable spot on his chest. She could clearly hear his engine idling and felt the warmth he naturally gave out and felt so much better for the combined effect.  
'We're really your favourites?' he asked, careful not to harm Emily as he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position.  
'Yep, from the first day I really got a chance to know you three. I know you've been called assholes and other such things before but I don't care, you're my favourites and that's not going to change.'  
'Even with all our personality issues?' Topspin asked, still seeking security after all they'd gone through.  
'Hell, those just make life all the more fun. We've all got personality issues, I'm a down right bitch for the most. I swear more than I should, I pick way too many fights and I kill for a living. It's no big deal, we're all unique. Just accept that I'll always care for you, no matter how abrasive others might find you.'  
'You've always come across as a gentle and kind person…well, right up until you did a gasket at Prime and Kup.' Roadbuster added, moving back in close.  
'Usually I am fairly calm and level-headed but when Optimus was dodging questions and Kup seemed to find it amusing that I was so concerned for you three, I lost control. Those two are wisely staying well out of my way for a while, my outburst definitely shocked them to the core.'  
'Shocked everyone I would think. If we heard it even through these walls, those outside must have really heard it clearly.'  
'You're probably right Lead, but for the most, everyone here is used to my outbursts. Many of the mice have had the full force of my anger thrown their way.'  
'We'll try to avoid pushing you to that point.'  
'Never gonna happen Spin, no matter what you do. I care about you three way too much to ever go that far with you guys. On the outside you're rough and tumble guys, ready for a fight and always there in the thick of things but inside, you're just like me really. Misunderstood and looking for someone who understands. I understand guys, I know what it's like to be considered a bit of an outsider among those you work with.'

Stunned that Emily had seen right through their tough exteriors, they shifted closer and relaxed into each other, keeping watch over Emily as she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, drifting into a peaceful sleep, proving her absolute trust in them.  
"Wow, I never knew just how much Emily trusted us." Leadfoot remarked, switching to internal comms so they didn't disturb the sleeping woman.  
"It does feel good to be considered this special to her. Never seen her sleep on anyone else." Topspin agreed, reaching for one of their storage boxes and pulling out a damaged cleaning cloth. Tearing off the loose corner, he flicked it over Emily carefully, protecting her from any chill winds from their vents.  
"She must be exhausted. That long trip to Mars and the endless needs of her twins." Roadbuster nodded, still amazed that Emily handled so much without complaint.  
"Not to mention keeping on top of everything needed here in the compound. The food supplies for the Martians alone take several hours to unload and distribute."  
"But somehow she still finds time every day to spend with the team. It's amazing really."  
"I don't think she recharges much each night. She's always on the move."  
"She doesn't seem to be lacking in energy though. Maybe she's used to not recharging much."

Protecting Emily from harm as they moved around again and got comfortable, they settled close again and dimmed their optics, Topspin and Roadbuster not only protecting their smaller brother but also Emily's peace. Shifting in her sleep, Emily pulled the blanket tighter and sighed softly, curling up a little more before drifting back into a deeper sleep. Systems cycling down into rest mode, the three battered brothers eased into recharge contentedly, safe together and confident they could face anything with Emily at their side.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Sitting on the grass facing each other but just out of reach, Ratchet and Ironhide couldn't care less about what anyone thought of their antics. Chittering softly to Nimrah, Ironhide set her on her feet and supported her in one large hand, watching her reach for Ratchet for cuddles and love. Trilling his encouragement, Ratchet offered out his hands and nodded, waiting for her to get the idea. Looking back up at Ironhide, Nimrah cooed timidly, frightened to be without the loving support of her parents even for a little while. Coaxing her forward, Ironhide leant as far forward as he could so she didn't have to go very far as all without support. Reaching out, Ratchet closed the distance a little more and waggled his fingers, trying to coax her to step into his hands. Slowly relaxing her grip on Ironhide's fingers, Nimrah stepped out from the safe cage of Ironhide's fingers and reached for Ratchet, still clinging to Ironhide's longest finger. Then she let him go, tottering across to land in the safety of Ratchet's loving hold with a trill of delight.

Not wanting to push Nimrah with too much structured learning, Ratchet lifted her up and stretched out on his back, setting their little darling on his chest. Shifting onto his knees, Ironhide shuffled over and stretched out beside Ratchet, chirring at Nimrah as he got comfortable on his chest. Optics brightening, Nimrah crawled closer to Ironhide but she couldn't quite work out how to get onto her sire's back. Scooping her up in one hand, Ratchet put her on the ground between them and smiled as she used his armour to stand before tottering over to Ironhide's side. Grabbing the darker armour, she climbed up onto his back and looked around, insanely proud of her abilities.

Rumble and Frenzy still clinging to his sides, Modo made his way over to the happy family and sat, shifting the pair into his lap and relaxing as they went back to chattering at each other.  
'You look exhausted Modo.' Ratchet remarked, quickly scanning the twins to make sure they were okay.  
'Emily warned me these two would have a burst of energy after lunch but they caught me off guard. I have no idea how Emily keeps up with them.' Modo nodded, keeping a sharp watch on the pair.  
'Where is Emily? It's not like her to leave the kids unless she's on the clock.' Ironhide asked, staying perfectly still as his daughter crawled over his back to look down at the twins.  
'She said she wanted to spend some time with the Wreckers, something about levelling with them about a few things.' Modo shrugged, lunging after Rumble but he was already halfway up Ironhide's side.  
'It's alright Modo, those two have been developmentally retarded since their creation. It's a relief to see Rumble actually is capable of moving around on his own.' Ratchet soothed, trilling to coax Frenzy to join the fun.

Less stable on his feet than his twin, Frenzy left Modo's lap and approached Ironhide, looking up at Nimrah and Rumble high above his head. Figuring if his brother could do it, he could too, Frenzy found his way up the dark metal to join the other youngsters, looking around from their new vantage point.  
'Take a break Modo, we'll watch the twins for a while.' Ironhide suggested, quite happy to play climbing frame for the trio.  
'Well, I suppose I could do with a rest. But I promised Emily I'd take care of them.'  
'So stretch out right where you are, still close if the twins want you but I can't see them quitting their game now.' Ratchet chuckled, shocked when Rumble jumped across to his arm and scampered up, Frenzy and Nimrah right behind him.  
'Thanks Ratchet. Wake me if anything happens.' Modo nodded, stretching out and rolling onto his side.  
'Rest well Modo.' Ratchet replied, focused on the kids as they played together, Nimrah leading the games.

Confidence soaring, Rumble and Frenzy suddenly changed the group dynamic again, forcing Nimrah to swing around and play their game. Not particularly concerned about the change, Nimrah went along with their slightly less structured game, bounding around her parents and enjoying the fun. Accepting their responsibilities calmly, Ratchet and Ironhide shifted to make the game a little more of a challenge but they were still careful not to get too far above the ground so if the kids fell, they wouldn't get hurt. Chirring and trilling in delight, the three little ones quickly adjusted to the changes, stretching out their underdeveloped bodies and learning what they were capable of even at this young age. Although she was bigger than the twins, Nimrah was careful playing with them, enjoying the rough and tumble but still playing gently so she didn't harm them. The twins proved to be remarkably hardy despite their spindly frames and smaller statures, getting right in there and tussling with her fearlessly.  
"I was starting to worry that Emily's twins weren't developing properly. It's good to see I was wrong." Ratchet commented, glancing at Ironhide but still watching the kids.  
"Too much carrying them around?" Ironhide asked, seeing the differences between Nimrah and the twins.  
"Most likely. The clingy stage isn't a bad thing, it teaches sparklings so much but Emily's encouraging it far too much. They're underdeveloped for their age, it's not healthy."  
"You planning on correcting her soon?"  
"Not immediately, she's focused on the Wreckers at the moment and getting them past their encounter with the Decepticons that wouldn't die. Soon though, once she's calm again."

#~#+^*^+#~#

As the sun set over the compound, the party swung into high gear. Tables were spread out in strategic positions, Christine's catering team producing all kinds of wonders from the small commercial kitchen that was now in one of the storage sheds. Their supply of alcohol had been raided too, bringing out a good selection of various drinks to suit everyone. The Autobots had been busy in preparation too, rigging up one of their energon dispensers to produce a reasonable high-grade for them to enjoy. Draping the trees with fairy lights and festooning the nearest buildings with even more lights, they turned a pretty ordinary back yard into a truly magical place in which to celebrate their latest success.

Although she didn't feel much like celebrating, Emily showered and changed into a fresh outfit before wandering down to join the party. Slapping a smile on her face and trying to enjoy the celebration, she accepted a beer and a chicken pocket, relaxing more as she circulated through the group. She saw her twins playing quietly with Nimrah beside Ratchet and couldn't resist heading over to check on them, surprised by how different they seemed after just the afternoon away from her. Ratchet soothed her concerns with a nod and after giving her boys a loving hug, she left them to play and continued her wandering.  
'Emily, Revs needs your assistance.' Braid called, running through the group to find her.  
'What's the situation Braid?' Emily asked, finishing her snack and jogging to meet him.  
'It's Christine. She's gone into labour.'  
'And with Shard and Shift promised a night with their lovers, Revs needs someone just as good.' Emily sighed, draining her beer as she raced back towards the Martian homes.

Thundering down the bitumen and through the open door, Emily bled off her speed and skidded on the carpet, darting through the door and taking in the scene quickly. Reaching into Revs' medical kit, she snapped on a pair of gloves before taking a knee and accepting the first born. Rocking to her feet again, she wrapped another towel around the little boy and walked over to the table Revs had already prepared for the children. Switching gears, she checked the little angel over carefully, drying off his baby fur and making sure he was in good health. He certainly had a strong set of lungs but that wasn't surprising considering his parents.  
'How is he Emily?' Braid asked, sitting beside Christine and soothing her through labour again.  
'He's a healthy little boy. Perfectly formed and welcoming the world.' Emily replied, getting the diaper on him and checking his tail wasn't restricted.  
'And here comes his twin…it's another boy.' Revs added, cutting the cord and wrapping up the darker boy. Tucking the first born safely in the cot beside the table, Emily accepted the second baby and turned back to the table, running the same checks on him as Revs went back to Christine's care, so glad for the offered assistance.

Picking up both kids once Revs signalled that Christine was cleaned up and ready for them, Emily returned to the bed and handed the pair over, passing them over by birth order for their parents love and attention.  
'Welcome to the family Tracer and Drift.' Christine uttered, absolutely exhausted as she held the twins lightly to her bared chest.  
'Our beautiful boys, our legacy.' Braid added, holding his precious family close and watching the pair feeding contentedly.  
'Need anything else Revs?' Emily asked, looking at her stained shirt for a moment.  
'No, you're good Emily. There's not much left to do here.' Revs nodded, busy cleaning up the mess.  
'Emily, would you please make the announcement for us? Christine's not up to going anywhere and I'm not leaving my family.' Braid asked, so proud of his beloved wife.  
'I would be honoured to announce their birth to the team. Am I to name them publicly?'  
'Please do Emily and ask for respect regarding the kids.' Christine nodded, blinking slowly as she adjusted the pair in her embrace.  
'Will do Christine. Congratulations to you both, they're beautiful boys.' Emily replied, leaving the family to bond as she spread the great news.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Settled comfortably under one of the trees, Wheeljack sipped his cube and watched the celebrations, enjoying the music and picking up on the sheer joy of his friends as they danced, drank and laughed freely. The celebrations had only ramped up after Emily's announcement regarding the birth of the twins, some of the first Martian kids to be born outside a constant war. It was good to see his fellow Autobots relaxing too, putting aside their usual burdens and enjoying the chance to get properly overcharged without needing to worry about tomorrow. Prowl and Jazz were off to the side, black and silver blending together as they turned slowly to a love song coming from Jazz. Blaster had both his boys by the hand, all too happy to be their dance partner as they grooved to the rock coming from the base sound system. Optimus was stretched out on the grass, feet in the air and chest braced on one elbow as he sipped his high-grade and relaxed, one foot twitching to the music. The rest of the Autobots were in similar states of relaxation and comfort, talking and laughing with the Martians or moving with the beat but they were always careful of their friends all around. But there were three familiar faces missing from the group, most likely too nervous to join the party after the lecture they'd gotten from Ratchet earlier.

Checking the area was clear, Roadbuster and Topspin shoved Leadfoot out first, ready to catch him if Ratchet spotted what they were doing. Glaring back at his brothers for a moment, Leadfoot approached the party carefully and looked around for Ratchet but he was well distracted by Nimrah, Rumble and Frenzy. Turning back to where his brothers were waiting, peeking out the door and ready to dive back if things went bad, he made his choice and approached the end of the bitumen. Waving for them to follow, he headed for the dispenser to grab a cube.  
'I was starting to wonder if you three were going to make an appearance.' Ratchet called, startling Leadfoot and nearly causing him to drop his cube. Diving for shelter, Topspin vanished back into their home and Roadbuster went the other way, disappearing into the empty home directly opposite.

For a moment everything was silent, the music paused and no one sure quite what to make of what they'd just seen. They'd never seen the Wreckers panic like that, they were always the rough and tumble hard-core assholes of the team. Making her way through the gathering, Emily approached Leadfoot and took a flying leap onto his leg. Scrambling up with cat-like agility, she swung off his hip and went around to his back, bounding and heaving higher and higher until she reached his shoulder.  
'You okay Lead?' she asked, reaching out to touch his cheek lightly and reading the faint tremors in the fine circuitry underneath.  
'Yeah, I think so Emily.' he replied, intakes huffing as he recovered from the shock.  
'You've had a rough day of surprises and shocks, haven't you?' she soothed, glaring at Ratchet from her vantage point. He nodded and raised his hand in surrender, putting his trust in whatever she was doing.  
'Been one of those days, lass, aye.'  
'Tomorrow will be better Lead, I promise. Sit down and relax, there are plenty of good things to celebrate too. I'm home after three exhausting weeks, SAU 14 has been cleared of all false charges and is welcome to go back to Mars if they ever wish and Christine and Braid just welcomed their twins into the world.'  
'But Ratchet said…'  
'I'm overruling him. Isolation ain't gonna help you three, you're not gonna break any time soon, it'll be okay. Besides, when Ratchet's doing a gasket at you, you know you're going to survive. It's when he's silent that you worry.' Emily chuckled, calming his concerns easily. 'Go on, find a spot to sit and chill out. I'll go try and coax Buster and Spin outta their hiding spots.'  
'They'll do anything ye ask Emily, ye know that.'  
'You know me Lead, won't force 'em if they don't wanna come out.' Emily shrugged, stepping onto his offered hand and allowing him to set her on the ground.

Jogging across the grass, Emily glanced back over her shoulder and smiled when she saw Leadfoot settle under another tree, leaning back against the protected trunk. Making her choice, she broke left and entered the empty home, hunting out Roadbuster. She found him easily enough, there were only so many places he could hide from Ratchet. He'd gone for the low spot, diving under the berth and hugging the back wall. Shaking her head in wonder, Emily wandered under the bed and climbed up his back, seeing the sense in the way he'd hidden. Picking her way across the shifting metal, she made her way over his shoulder and grabbed the shoulder mounted gun, swinging off it to drop down in front of him.  
'You gonna come out of hiding or what, Buster?' she grinned, leaning back against his other arm comfortably.  
'Do I have to Emily? Everyone fears Ratchet's temper.'  
'Trust me, he's not going to say a word. Ratchet's temper might be legendary but he knows better than to get on my bad side.'  
'Is Leadfoot okay? We shoulda tried to get him outta there, I know.'  
'He's fine, I left him sitting under a tree enjoying a cube of high-grade. C'mon out and join us, it'll be fine.'  
'I trust you Emily. If you say its fine, that's good enough.' he nodded, picking her up and crawling out from under the berth. 'Must have been funny from the outside, flying dives and all.'  
'Yeah, it was certainly amusing but I could see under that to the fear. Don't worry about it, these things happen. You just go join Lead and have a drink, I'll be back soon. Still gotta coax Spin outta hiding.'  
'Okay Emily.'

Deposited safely back on the bitumen, Emily watched as Roadbuster made his way over to Leadfoot, stopping only long enough to grab a cube before joining his brother under the tree. Satisfied they'd be safe until she got back to them, she turned her focus to the last brother, jogging into their home and searching out Topspin. He'd gone to the back of the house again but he wasn't really hiding. Instead of taking cover under the bed or in the wash racks, he was sitting on their shared berth, head bowed and hands in his lap. Climbing up his leg and onto his wrist, she considered her options before taking a big leap of faith. Launching off his wrist, she latched onto his chest and headed up, totally at home with these physically demanding challenges. In reality, climbing the Wreckers was a lot easier than some challenges she'd faced with climbing Autobots but her training with the others didn't make it any simpler to pick the right path up. Pushing the comparisons out of her mind, she reached the peak of her climb and settled on his shoulder, worming in under his mullet to lean against his cheek.  
'C'mon Spin, this ain't like you. What's got you so down this time?'  
'Just waiting for Roadbuster and Leadfoot, Ratchet will be draggin' them home any minute now.'  
'Nah, he won't be draggin' them anywhere unless they manage to get badly hurt again.'  
'But he told us to stay inside for the day and recover. We went against his instructions, he'll be so angry at us.'  
'You technically did stay inside for the day, its dark outside now. As for Ratchet's temper, don't stress about it. I'm more than capable of handling his bad attitude.'  
'No one stands up to Ratchet and survives, we all know that.'  
'Heh, I'm too fast for ol' Hatchet and he knows it. I'm too fast for Sideswipe and he's a lot faster than Ratchet is on his best day. He won't try anything with me, he knows how dangerous I am.'  
'Are you sure about this Emily? I don't want to get into any more trouble today.'  
'You won't get into any trouble so long as you don't go starting any. Come on, tonight is a big reason to celebrate. I'm home after three weeks away from you guys, SAU 14 is free to go home if they ever decide to and there are two new Martians in the ranks. Christine gave birth to twin boys.'  
'Only need one reason to celebrate, you're home. Anything else is extra.'  
'Then come out and join us. I can't really have a great time when there's just two Wreckers to hang out with. It's not right unless you're all there, three brothers that I love equally and completely.'  
'Well, when you put it that way…alright.' he agreed, rocking to his feet and reaching up to offer Emily his hand.  
'Nah, I'm good right here. Unless you'd rather I moved.'  
'If you're comfortable up there, fine by me Emily.'

Unafraid of a potential fall and confident her weight wouldn't be a concern, Emily wrapped her arms through the safety webbing that formed his mullet and relaxed, trusting in him to be aware of her perch and react accordingly. Checking her location with a cursory scan and a light twitch of his head, Topspin accepted her perch and headed to join his brothers, satisfied with Emily's answers. Smiling happily as she swung with his movement, Emily felt freer than she had in a while and more at peace than she'd ever enjoyed before. Constantly aware of her fragile presence so close to his systems, Topspin made sure he didn't jolt Emily around and risk hurting her, she was far too precious to risk but she seemed genuinely happy to be hanging where she was as he grabbed a cube and walked over to join his brothers under the flickering tree.  
'Where'd Emily go?' Leadfoot asked, surprised she wasn't with Topspin.  
'I'm right here Lead, where else were you expecting me to be?' Emily chuckled, swinging around to the other side and climbing up to perch on Topspin's head.  
'What Emily wants, Emily gets.' Topspin added, sipping from his cube and relaxing.  
'And I've got exactly what I want right here.' Emily nodded, stretching out and getting comfortable.  
'Don't you want something to eat?' Roadbuster asked, watching the mice around the tables.  
'Nah, I'm alright. I had something earlier. If I get hungry later, I'll figure something out.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Thankfully no one went too far with the alcohol during the party, still not sure about the reported Decepticon sighting from the Wreckers. They weren't sure when they'd next be called to deal with a problem and behaved accordingly. That didn't mean the team wouldn't enjoy themselves though, they still had a wonderful time late into the night and slept under the cathedral of the stars, finding comfort wherever they could. The mice were smart with their sleeping arrangements, taking shelter near the Autobots and huddling in close to any available heat source. They weren't fussy, any warmth would do for them. But even with so many mice and only limited warm spots to steal from, none of the mice selected the Wreckers for their bed. They'd all seen Emily's possessive nature and realised that she'd laid claim to all three somewhere along the line. Accepting the silent claim, they found other places to sleep, leaving Emily in the safe hands of her three chosen protectors.

Rising at their usual times the next morning, they got right back into their usual routines, heading home for breakfast before returning to help with the cleanup. Mildly hungover though many of them were, it didn't take long to get the place cleaned up and back to the usual condition it was kept in. Most of the fairy lights came down easily enough but the last set provided an additional challenge. Getting the lights down without waking the group sleeping under the tree. In the end Optimus gently picked Decal and Phantom up, lifting them into the tree and helping them untangle the lights without disturbing the sleepers below.

Leaving the quartet to sleep in the mottled shade from the tree, the rest of the team went about their usual duties, keeping their noise down and avoiding any of their particularly loud pastimes to hopefully prevent waking the group. They looked so peaceful together, curled in close and blanketed with the softly falling leaves of fall. Unpacking his supplies and finding the perfect spot to sit, Sunstreaker propped up a canvas and started to sketch, trying to capture the beautiful scene before his optics before life intervened and destroyed it for good. Such innocence and peace wasn't often seen within the compound but there it was in a most unexpected setting. Attention flickering back and forth, he worked hard to capture the beauty before his optics, lost in the graceful act of his painting. Finding an equally good vantage point, Torque set out his art supplies and also started to capture the beautiful scene of peace and friendship, his pencils faithfully recording every perfect detail of the friends still asleep.

Using the time to catch up on needed maintenance and general repairs, the mice spread out over the grass and turned their attention to their bikes, doing all the menial little jobs that weren't important enough to really be considered proper maintenance. Redoing their paint and checking everything was up to standard, replacing worn grips and all the other little details that made their girls shine, 14 showed true pride in their unit again, the pride they'd been lacking since their abandonment so long ago. Polishing their weapons and cleaning their unit jewellery, they lost their scrappy look and returned to the glory they had once known, pulling together and restoring what they'd forgotten. It didn't matter that they were still never planning on going back to Mars, what truly mattered was their cohesion as a unit and the pride to be one of the bigger SAUs around.

The Autobots also took the chance to catch up on their maintenance and cleaning duties, keeping Ratchet busy with a long list of minor issues that could wait but now that there was time, they were looking to get these little niggles dealt with. Ratchet didn't mind the workload, he distracted Nimrah and the twins with a few simple toys in the corner of his bay and got stuck into the workload, grateful to see that his team-mates were getting better with reporting minor issues. There was nothing serious on the list, just a few twisted wires and pulled cables along with a few dents and scratched paint. There were a few slightly more serious injuries but still nothing that required threats and violence as a warning.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Awoken by the rich smells of a team barbeque, Emily twitched, groaned and stretched, dark eyes cracking open for a moment before she rolled over and burrowed back in against Roadbuster's chestplate. Chuckling softly, Roadbuster gently stroked her back and held her close as she refused to awaken from her peaceful rest. Jogging over to the group, Cosmo climbed up Topspin's side and picked his way across to where Emily was curled up comfortably. Taking a knee at her side, he gently eased Emily onto her back and sat her up before reaching into the basket he'd carried along. Keeping her propped up against one knee, he deftly poured a steaming mug of coffee and capped the thermos again even as he pressed the mug into her hands.

Downing the coffee in seconds, she thrust it back into his hands, moving to settle back in for a few hours longer. Refilling the mug, Cosmo pulled her back in close and returned the mug to her hands, smiling as she downed it just as fast. Holding out the mug for another refill, she also reached for the basket, catching the scent of something delicious. Delving into the basket, he pulled out a neatly wrapped burger and worked the paper free before passing it over and pouring the coffee again.

Confident that Emily would be fine now and would soon rejoin the team for real, Cosmo left her to her lunch, climbing back down and returning to the team gathered around the barbeque pits. Getting comfortable where she sat, Emily scanned the team quickly, checking everyone was safe and happy.  
'Afternoon Emily.' Leadfoot offered, shifting against his brother and watching over her.  
'Damn, didn't mean to sleep that long. Guess we stayed up dreaming too long last night.' Emily replied, checking her watch quickly.  
'But they were good dreams to discuss, I still don't know if we can actually pull it off though.' Topspin shrugged, shifting closer to his brothers. 'First hurdle is Ratchet and Prime.'  
'Eh, not much of a hurdle there Spin. They know better than to piss me off. The bigger hurdles are the actual construction and the actual bringing our creation to life.' Emily countered, not really concerned about how the others would react to their plan.  
'Are you still sure you actually want to try this project Emily? If this works the way we dreamed, there's no going back once you decide to take that step.'  
'I'm not afraid of what this project might mean. When we make this work, I'll be right there to lead the way forward. You don't have to fear for me Buster, I'll be fine.'  
'We'll always fear for you Emily, this is a dangerous project.'  
'That's sweet Lead but really, I'll be fine. I've faced some of the biggest dangers this world knows or has seen, I can handle it.'

Hunger satisfied, Emily repacked the basket and settled back comfortably, still dreaming of their grand plan. So far they only had a dream and a desire to see it come into reality but eventually they hoped to create something truly wonderful. But they had a lot of challenges to face and overcome if they were ever going to make their dream come true. So many things had to fall into line, so many little details had to be perfect if things were to work their way.  
'We'll work it out later, for now we can relax, think about how we want the plan to work and start compiling the parts we need. I'll deal with Ratchet, Optimus and anyone else that wants to get in the way.'  
'Where do we start Emily?' Topspin asked, climbing to his feet and reaching back to help Leadfoot up.  
'Head on back home and refuel, I'll be there soon and we can start designing final figure. We might not reach our final goal but it'll be good to have some idea of what we want in the end.'  
'Alright, we'll hook up the design equipment we've got. That'll be the easiest way to figure out what we want this project to look like in the final stages.' Leadfoot nodded, getting up and popping his backstruts.  
'Perfect. I won't be long guys, just gonna grab some fresh coffee and extra food. This is going to be a long term project.' she grinned, bounding off Roadbuster's hand and heading for the barbeque pits.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Standing on the control unit for the design equipment, Emily looked at the figure displayed on the opposite wall and frowned, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. Making her way across the control unit, she jumped on one of the buttons and the image flared out, displaying her dearest friends around the figure. Scratching her head, she scanned the buttons to find the one she needed, putting her weight on it to make the desired adjustment but it still wasn't right.  
'Somethin' wrong Emily?' Leadfoot asked, looking the image over carefully.  
'I'm just not happy with how our project looks within the group.' Emily replied, making another adjustment but she couldn't quite make the fine adjustments she was searching for.  
'What do you tryin' to do?' Topspin asked, stepping up to offer a hand as Emily took the adjustments too far in the other direction.  
'Gotta come down about a foot, maybe only ten inches.'  
'I got it. We'll start at nine inches from base and work from there.' Topspin nodded, resetting the height adjustment and flicking the wheel to bring it down nine inches. It wasn't much when talking about Autobots but Emily knew what she wanted and wouldn't sign off on the design until she was completely happy with it.  
'No, come down one more click.' she replied, gaze locked on the team display and how they all fitted together.  
'Just remember Emily, less height means the same weight has to go elsewhere.' Roadbuster added, taking the change to dig at Leadfoot and his base-mode.  
'Haven't forgotten about that detail Buster. I figure a few inches down won't make for huge issues with how the transformation works out in the end.' Emily replied, never breaking her focus on the image. 'It's so damn close. Let's try another half-inch down.'

Then it just clicked, that one final adjustment and there it was, the perfect fourth in the middle of the group. Shorter than Topspin and Roadbuster but taller than Leadfoot, this new form was just as solid, incorporating different elements from three to make a powerful forth. Jumping on another display button, the graphic on the wall changed from the four base-modes to four alt-modes, the dull grey of their forth standing out badly but that would soon be fixed. Tweaking the final positions of a few components, Emily turned to her friends for their thoughts, setting up the slow cycle of revolving alt-mode images.  
'I reckon you've nailed it Emily, the basics anyway. Can't see you accepting such a dull colour scheme though.'  
'That comes next Buster, for now I'm enjoying what we've created so far.' Emily chuckled, watching the group displayed for their enjoyment and critique.  
'I dunno Emily, I still think two would have been sufficient.' Leadfoot added, gazing at the boosters mounted to the back of the fourth figure. Emily had gone for the trio, two mounted more externally and the third tucked safely inside.  
'Hmmm, we can have a look at how it fits. It'll mean some alterations to the transformation sequence but that can be dealt with.' Emily nodded, finding the right button and pressing it hard. The image on the wall flickered then resumed rotating, displaying dual jet engines in the rear.  
'The balance looks good but it's just not you, there's no real flare. Come on Emily, put your spin on it.' Topspin added, liking the dual look better than the triple but mainly because it was more like his own alt-mode.  
'Hmmm, my own spin on this…I know just what this baby needs.' Emily smirked, delving into the hundreds of parts stock photos from the base computers. Finding what she wanted, she installed the F/A-22 engines and extended the nozzles to complement the design of the actual car. Shifting the engines forward a little more, she maintained the aerodynamics of the alt-mode and still ensured precise manoeuvrability and impressive firepower all around. Mounted with four big six-barrelled 7.62 x 51 calibre miniguns and two heavier .50 calibre three-barrelled miniguns, along with two 14 round mini-missile launchers and a few other Martian designed weapons, this was a big and very mean Autobot.

Staring at the deadly fourth on the wall, the three Wreckers were in awe of what Emily could create when given free reign and a chance to dream big. Once their fourth was built and ready for life, they would be an unstoppable force against any enemy that came their way.  
'I knew you were a bad bitch Emily but this is insane. Are you sure we'll be able to even keep up with this one?' Leadfoot remarked, looking at the mean looking alt-mode.  
'Sure these engines are powerful but the ones I have available for install are second hand, well used and no longer capable of the top speed as advertised. I've abused them since I purchased the jet they're actually a part of at the moment. At best, I can probably get 75% of optimum force out of those beasts.'  
'Even at 75%, it's going to be interesting to see who can keep up.' Topspin added, fairly sure only Leadfoot with his three jets would be able to match the power coming out of those engines.  
'I said at best I could get 75% but that would be pushing those engines to the extreme and would most likely result in blown engines if pushed that far too often. To optimise the time I'd have before needing replacement parts, I'd probably restrict these engines to around 40-45%.'  
'Running at 45%, can you keep up with us then? Ratchet keeps our jets well maintained, we'd hate to leave you behind after a tune up or even if we're not running to our best.' Roadbuster noted, wanting to be sure Emily had considered all options.  
'Again, having the ability to boost above the set capacity percentage, I'll be able to keep up. You guys don't have to worry about me, I'm tough and more than capable of keeping up with you three. I'll hand these jets over to the Martian Mechanic team for a full inspection and tune up, they know all my fighters inside and out.'

Turning back to the image, Emily climbed across to the second design interface and brought up the full image of the fourth, the car rotating slowly in front of her. Scanning the interface quickly, she got to work on the less important details, namely the colours and other details she was interested in having as her own. First she picked a white base coat so the rest of the colours really popped off the surface. Then came a gloss black coat, the mounted weaponry getting a gunmetal grey coat to set them off from the darker background. Selecting her colours very carefully for the next little detail, she deconstructed the six mounted machine guns and split the barrels into three groups, two from each of the 7.62 x 51 machineguns and one from each of the .50 ones. Bringing one of the barrels up bigger, she linked the designing pattern to all the barrels and started to draw the most incredible pin striping along the length of the barrels, her design identical on all 30 barrels. Focus unwavering, she swirled and spun the design along the entire surface before sending her lead barrel back to the group she'd selected it from. Spinning the barrels slowly so she could take in the full design, she nodded and selected her next colours carefully, wanting the matches to be perfect. With the three colours chosen and perfectly matching, she dyed the white pin striping on the barrel sets; one set red, one blue and one green. Sorting out the barrels again, she rebuild the weapons and checked the final effect to make sure it was what she dreamed of. Turning her focus to the larger details, Emily painted on her racing number and added a selection of various sponsorship logos to really help the forth blend into the team before placing the Autobot symbol and the SAU 14 glyphs in glimmering white. Detailing her number in glimmering gold and adding a few more little touches of sparkling gold and silver to balance the design. Spinning the image again, she chromed her jets, putting her stamp on them and completing her dream form.


	15. Charging Forward

Once everyone got over the shock of the audacious plan and got a chance to see the finished dream design, it wasn't all that difficult to convince people to get involved. The Autobots were interested for the challenge of creating a new Autobot from scratch out of reclaimed parts from Decepticons, Emily's weapons cache and the engines from her F-22. The Martians saw the potential in Emily's plan, confident that if she could make the transition from flesh to steel then maybe they could pull off the same thing with a different spin. Originally Emily had estimated it would take a couple of years to get everything up and running but the explosion of assistance offers coming in had dramatically reduced those estimations.

In the heavy workshop, the Mechanic team worked with Ratchet to construct the body, using detailed blueprints from Leadfoot, Topspin and Roadbuster to make a custom set of blueprints for Emily's body. They'd already figured out the plating off the very detailed schematics of the alt-mode, the rough draft of the transformation sequence and the detailed images of the final dream base-mode. The plating was all formed from reforged Decepticon armour, checked for fit then sent next door to the painting team. They still had the biggest challenge to face though, mounting the fighter engines to the chassis without tearing the chassis apart or blocking the transformation sequence.

In the painting workshop, Raider, Sunstreaker and Bits turned their attention to the mass of plating that needed to be painted to Emily's exacting specifications. They were all so grateful that they didn't have to try and hand paint all the chosen sponsorship logos, Emily had purchased those for addition once the plating was matched into the body and everything was assembled. Sunstreaker had the hardest job, tasked with putting the pin striping on the gun barrels and making sure the detailing on all of them matched perfectly. Raider and Bits had the bigger, dirtier jobs of applying the white undercoat, black base coat and the larger details across the panels. They also had the fun of placing the white decals to mark the Autobot affiliation of this new arrival and the love from SAU 14.

Emily couldn't dedicate as much time to the construction as she wanted; there was so much she had to learn to make the transition as smooth as possible. She spent most of her time learning from the Autobots, wrapping her mind around their culture and focusing on the details she hadn't yet had a chance to consider. History lessons from Optimus, combat training via holograms from Sideswipe, tactical planning from Prowl, command lessons from Kup and so many other different lessons. It was a lot of information to take in but she had limited time to really grasp Cybertronian culture and life before she made the transition into steel. She also spent hours tucked away in a weaponry lab with Ironhide, building the rest of the weaponry compliment for the fourth Wrecker. Then there was the specialised equipment that would also hopefully be added in, if Wheeljack could get the systems working. She wasn't looking for anything special, just an expansion of a Martian idea to give her a nasty little advantage.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Absolutely exhausted after another long day of lessons and checking up on the building process when she had a few minutes, Emily collected her twins from Christine's care and headed home, Brains and Wheelie clinging to her shirt as she cradled the twins to her chest. Climbing up a little more, Wheelie hit the gate with his coded ID and settled back again, looking forward to a long recharge and maybe a little TV before bed. Toeing the door open, Emily smiled at the sight in the living room, so glad to see that in all the chaos, her three dear men hadn't abandoned her.  
'Uh, Emily?' Brains asked, appearing over her shoulder. 'You didn't mention you were having guests.'  
'It's okay Brains, really.' Emily soothed, turning for the stairs. 'Make yourselves at home guys, I'll just go put the kids to bed.' she added, looking back over her shoulder at the three.  
'We'll be here Emily.' one replied, feet up on the coffee table.  
'And Lead, you could stand to loose a few pounds off that holo. Not my thing.' she winked, disappearing upstairs as the three on the couch considered her words.

Entering the nursery on the second floor, Emily paused by the table just inside the door and waited for Wheelie and Brains to get down before she carried her twins over to their crib and eased them down. They trilled and threatened to wake but a soft humming lullaby from their mother soon put them back into a deep recharge. Making sure they were comfortable, she tucked them in safely and turned on their little nightlight and the mobile over their crib, knowing full well that if she forgot, they'd be complaining all night, even after she turned them on for the pair. Watching the pair for a few moments longer, she eventually turned away and collected Brains and Wheelie, holding them close as she left the twins to sleep and headed upstairs again.

The top floor of the house was pretty much given over to Wheelie and Brains to have their own private space to do their own thing, so long as their behaviour didn't risk anyone else in the house. They behaved remarkably well, spending their time watching TV and messing around with the games and other stuff Emily had found for them.  
'So who are those three downstairs?' Wheelie asked, grateful that Emily still had time for them.  
'You mean to tell me that with all your advancements over my simple human abilities, you still can't tell Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Topspin by their holoforms?' Emily teased, settling on the couch with the pair.  
'What are those three doing here? This is our place. They've got their own home.' Brains asked, not wanting to share Emily during what was always their time with her.  
'Brains, be nice. They're here to support me through this transitional phase, and to be honest, this is about the only time I've got left in the day. As for the human bit, well it's the only way those three mad bots are going to fit in here.' she replied, content to hold the pair for a few minutes and explain the situation.  
'You've never really explained why you're going through this Emily? Why give up your humanity to join the Autobots like this?' Wheelie asked, leaning back in Emily's tender embrace.  
'a longer life, a chance to see my twins grow into adults, a better stance against any who would harm Earth and its people…most of all though, I'm taking the chance on love.'  
'Love? You're having feelings for one of the Autobots.'  
'Something like that Brains. Don't look so shocked, I figured this was going to happen after Mission City. I finally found an opening and took a chance on chasing that particular dream.' Emily chuckled, getting up and settling the pair in the couch. 'Now be good you two, I don't want to be interrupted unless it's important. You've got everything you need up here and I'll come check on you before I go to bed.' she added, kissing them both on the helm before leaving, half pulling the door behind her.

Heading back downstairs, she stopped only long enough to check the twins were still deep in recharge before grabbing the spare monitor and heading on down. Clipping the monitor to her belt, she stopped by the stairwell and reached up to unclip her headset, removing the various components and placing them all safely in the padded cradles on the top shelf of the inbuilt bookcase. Wiping off the sweat and grime that always built up under the system, she stretched and finally headed for the couch, admiring the trio sitting there waiting for her. They were instantly recognisable to her, each one as familiar as their true forms but she could see how Wheelie had struggled to recognise them.

They were all wearing torn jeans, faded from black to grey in patches. Their shirts were just a bad, stained and stretched out of shape, but still hanging onto their identities with the red, blue and green. Each one sported a mullet, one brown, one black and the other blonde tinged with blue. They couldn't be called fit and muscled but they weren't overweight anymore either, they'd found a comfortable balance somewhere in the middle, a fact Emily was grateful for. Excess body weight was such a turn off for her, just seeing the previous attempt from Leadfoot had almost caused her to kick him out of the house. Working out of her boots and putting them by the back door, she padded over to the couch and squeezed in between Leadfoot and Roadbuster, so glad to finally have some total downtime.  
'Rough day Emily?' Topspin asked, one elbow propped on Leadfoot's shoulder.  
'You have no idea.' Emily groaned, slumping a little more into Roadbuster's side, still amazed by how real these holoforms felt. 'I had no idea Kup could ramble on like that.'  
'Heh, welcome to our world Emily. He's always been like that.' Leadfoot chuckled, fingers drifting down her arm. 'We've heard all his old war stories at least a dozen times and I do mean all of them.'  
'Ugh, not sure how I'm going to handle that. It's a new brand of torture to have to listen to them just once. Primus bless Ironhide for the rescue, he needed my input for the new cannons.'  
'You're getting Ironhide to build your cannons? We're better at those than he is.'  
'I know Buster but there's nothing saying we can't tinker with them after they're installed and the transfer is complete. Let Ironhide have his part in this, its good practise for the hundreds of weapons he'll have to build in the future.'  
'Of course, all the Martians will want something to install in their new bodies when they get them. He'll have a load of fun with that lot.' Roadbuster grinned, one arm wrapping around Emily's waist.  
'Kids all tucked up safely?' Topspin asked, swinging the conversation away from the transitional work.  
'The twins are sleeping peacefully, they'll be okay. Wheelie and Brains are awake still but I've warned them to stay in their part of the house unless it's an emergency. We've pretty much got the night to ourselves so long as we keep the noise down.' Emily nodded, checking the monitor on her belt and smiling when she clearly heard one of the twins trilling in his recharge. 'That'll be Rumble, he'll settle in a minute.'  
'I hope this change doesn't faze the twins too much. They're so close to you Emily.'  
'I already discussed that with Ratchet, Lead. Once the transfer has begun, he'll put the twins into stasis and do their first upgrades. When they wake, they'll be about three times the size they are now, stronger in frame and will be told that while they were having their upgrades, their mother was too.'  
'Reckon they'll believe that?'  
'Sure they will Spin, they're still so young that changes like that don't really faze them. Ratchet assured me we would make it work. I've also prodded Optimus on the housing arrangements, for now everyone thinks we're moving in across from you guys but when we get closer to the actual transfer, Optimus will paint our names above the door where we belong.'

Snuggling closer to Roadbuster and tugging the other two in tight as well, Emily closed her eyes and sighed, relaxing into them and finding her centre again. With everything that was going on, she was nervous about the transfer day still a long way into the future. No one knew for sure what would happen and once the transfer began, there was no going back. That thought scared her more than she'd ever admit, she didn't like the idea of a tiny mistake causing her death but she trusted Ratchet deeply and he'd promised that the transfer would be smooth and free of trouble so long as she was well rested, properly hydrated and well fed in the days leading up to the process.  
'What's troubling you Emily?' Topspin asked, reaching out to stroke her neck tenderly.  
'Just thinking about the transfer. I'm scared of what might happen.'  
'Don't worry lass, we'll all be close by and Ratchet knows how important you are. He'll take care of ye.' Roadbuster soothed, arms wrapped around Emily's waist.  
'There's something else you should be thinking about anyway.' Roadbuster agreed, shifting into a more comfortable position without moving Emily too much. 'We are aware that you chose more masculine features for your new body. Have you considered a new designation for after the transfer?'  
'A designation? Hell, everything else I've got to think about and I completely forgot about a designation. That's going to take some thought, I honestly have no idea about that one.' Emily shrugged, caught off guard by the suggestion of an Autobot name.  
'I've got a suggestion Emily, I was thinking about the speed your new form will be capable of and the sheer force of fire you'll be able to produce and it just came to me…Speedshot.' Topspin offered, almost shy as he named their forth.  
'Speedshot.' Emily repeated, just getting a taste for the name. 'Leadfoot, Roadbuster, Topspin and Speedshot. It's perfect Spin, absolutely perfect.' she praised, liking how the designations fitted together and just worked.  
'Lead, Buster, Spin…Shot or Speed. Now that's a tough choice, both fit.' Roadbuster nodded, reaching out to squeeze Topspin's wrist in praise.  
'Shot, there's already a Speed on base.' Leadfoot replied, also silently praising Topspin for the idea.

Covering a yawn in Leadfoot's shoulder, Emily blinked slowly and cuddled closer, fighting off sleep but she'd had an exhausting day with all her classes. Chuckling softly, Topspin slid out from behind Leadfoot and gently lifted Emily into his arms, Roadbuster and Leadfoot helping him get Emily settled and comfortable. At first she resisted but eventually she gave up and accepted the help, snuggling into his embrace and closing her eyes.  
'Gotta check on the kids, just to be sure they're okay. Promised I'd check in on Wheelie and Brains too, let 'em know I was turnin' in for the night.' she muttered, still struggling to stay awake.  
'I'll check on Frenzy and Rumble, you're exhausted Emily.' Leadfoot replied, stroking her hair lightly.  
'And while Spin's putting you to bed, I'll go tell Wheelie and Brains that you're turnin' in.' Roadbuster added, heading for the stairs. 'I can sense them Emily, I know where they are.'  
'm'kay.' she nodded, trusting in her dearest Wreckers to take care of things for her. 'Y'know where the bedroom is?'  
'Second floor, last door on the left.' Topspin replied, having already scanned the house and figured out what was where.  
'Good.'

Carrying Emily carefully upstairs and into her room, Topspin eased her onto the bed and watched her for a moment, a fond smile crossing his face as she slept peacefully. Working her out of her dirty clothes, he found her pyjamas half under her pillow and got her dressed again, tossing her dirty clothes into the bathroom until the morning. Then he lifted her again, trying to figure out how to pull back the covers without disturbing her.  
'I've got it Spin.' Leadfoot uttered, entering the bedroom and pulling the covers back neatly.  
'Thanks Lead. This human thing is harder than I thought.' Topspin grinned, settling Emily down again and tucking her in gently.  
'It's only gonna be harder for Emily going back the other way.' Leadfoot mused, perching on the side of the bed and watching Emily sleep so peacefully.

Upstairs, Roadbuster wasn't really surprised by the hostile looks he was getting but he refused to let that little fact bother him. He'd told Emily what he was planning to do and even if she was so sleepy that she missed what he'd said, he'd still do it.  
'Look, you two can get all possessive of Emily if you want but this is taking a toll on her. She fell asleep on the couch while we were talking. Leadfoot went to check on the twins, Topspin took Emily to her bed and I came up here to let you know what's going on.' he explained, wandering over to settle on the couch. 'I don't get why you two are so hostile towards us.'  
'Because this is supposed to be our time with Emily.' Wheelie replied, leaving his chair and turning to Roadbuster. 'No matter how busy the day, Emily always came home to us and spent her evenings with us.'  
'So you're jealous that she's spending more time with us and less with you two. Hate to say it but after the transfer, you won't be getting much time with Emily at all. She'll be Speedshot and living with us fulltime.'  
'So why intrude on the remaining time we have with Emily before we have to move in with someone else?' Brains asked, climbing up onto the couch and looking up at Roadbuster.  
'Because what Emily wants, Emily gets. Despite our problems and flaws, she loves us. Once Speedshot is here, the four of us will raise Rumble and Frenzy as a family. We'll try not to intrude on your time with Emily but this time is just as special for us, this is our last chance to really make sure Emily wants to spend the rest of her life with us.'  
'Emily did say she was doing this for love. We had no idea she was talking about you three.' Wheelie remarked, climbing up onto the couch and sitting beside Roadbuster. 'But if that's what she wants to be really happy, I guess we should be more supportive of her through the process.'  
'She'd appreciate that Wheelie, I know she would. But for the sake of her sanity, let's just try to get along.'  
'Okay Roadbuster, for Emily's sake.' Brains nodded, moving closer and actually curling up against one leg. 'Does that mean you'll tuck us into our berths tonight?'  
'I guess so, what's Emily usually do anyway?'  
'She tucks us into our berths, reads us a story from the book she always keeps on the table between the berths and says goodnight. We've already had our goodnight kisses.' Brains explained, wondering if Wheelie would go along with the plan.  
'I can mange that for you two, it'll be good practise for Rumble and Frenzy. Come on, bed time.' Roadbuster grinned, scooping the pair up and heading for the berthroom.  
'I can accept that.' Wheelie agreed, willing to try this new idea but still wary.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Watching the work going by week by week, Emily grew tired of the waiting and listening to lessons from so many other Autobots. The engines were ready and running at 90% when forced and capable of maintaining 60% for prolonged periods. The armour was painted, labelled and ready for installation once the body was finished. The weapons were completed and ready for installation, now they were just taking up space in Ironhide's rarely used workshop. Wheeljack had completed the shielding system and even found time to build three more that he'd already installed on the other Wreckers, a gift from Emily to those she loved most of all. Now she just had to light a fire under Ratchet and get her body.

Well and truly frustrated now, Emily wandered into the mechanical bay, Rumble and Frenzy clinging to her sides and Brains and Wheelie perched on her shoulders. Heading up the stairs, she looked down on the body laid out before her eyes, taking in the solidly built structures that would soon be all hers.  
'Morning Emily.' Ratchet called, looking up from the arm he was building. 'You're looking better this morning.'  
'Had a good night. Shed the fears, the stress and got a new perspective on things.' Emily replied, admiring the bared skeleton and imagining how it would look once completed. 'Finally settled on a new designation as well, Topspin came up with it.'  
'Oh, what'd he come up with? RoadWarrior? DustRoar?'  
'Funny Ratchet, real funny. No, nothing quite so arrogant although I do like RoadWarrior. He came up with Speedshot and we all agreed that it was the perfect fit. The moment he said it, I knew and it fits with the rest of the family.' Emily replied, rolling her eyes behind her visor.  
'Speedshot…yes, it does fit with the other Wreckers but family? I'm not so sure about how it fits with Rumble and Frenzy.'  
'Ratchet, Rumble and Frenzy will adapt to the situation. I meant the family I will have with the Wreckers. Regardless of what anyone else thinks on the subject, we have our dreams and will fight for them.' Emily sighed, wondering how long it would take for everyone to accept her decision.  
'Far be it from me to talk about odd romance choices, lot of people thought I was crazy for starting up with Ironhide. Who woulda thought that a trigger-happy weapons specialist and a stubborn old medic could hit it off and achieve all that we have. If you can make a solid life with those three, I wish you the best of luck Emily.'  
'Thanks Ratchet. We're already working on a solid foundation for what we're dreaming of, it's just a matter of time now.' Emily nodded, checking her twins were safe and happy as she continued gazing at her new form.  
'The mice are a little confused as to why you chose to switch from feminine features to a more masculine appearance. I will admit, I'm curious too.'  
'I remember Arcee and her sisters, no way am I some flimsy femme like those three. I'm sorry that they were lost but I'm not going to risk my family and happiness by being under armoured, under strength and too slow to avoid the worst trouble. I'd rather live as a mech than die an ugly death as a femme. That's just the way I am.'  
'I'll admit, femmes aren't as hard wearing as mechs, long running design flaw. It's always been like that, far back as I can remember. Femmes were always built to be elegant and beautiful, not hard core fighters. You are a hard core fighter, you've taken on some of the biggest threats to the Autobot way of life and always came out on top, battered and bleeding but alive. Few femmes can make similar claims.' Ratchet nodded, understanding Emily's reasons for the switch. It was simple really, she wanted to be hard enough to survive when things went to hell.

Unaware of her presence overhead, Wheelie and his team came in from their smaller workshop, several circuit boards in a cradle between them. Setting the cradle down beside the open helm, Windvest moved first, crawling into the helm and checking something before work continued, his bros handing in the various circuit boards and helping position them.  
'At the pace we're working, we estimate we'll have the body completed in 2-3 weeks Emily. Of course, my estimation goes out the window if Sunstreaker is still complaining about his paint.' Ratchet commented, startling the mice.  
'You planning on a briefing when Emily has a minute to check our work Ratchet?' Goggles asked, not looking up from where he was stabilising another circuit board through an open panel.  
'I'm already here bros, been here for about 20 minutes.' Emily grinned, surprising the group again.  
'You are getting sneakier Emily, I swear it.' Wheelie smirked, looking up at Emily and her little group of companions.  
'Nah, just turning my skills to other interests. I'm allowed to see how Speedshot is coming along.'  
'Speedshot?' Odd Ball asked, helping with another circuit board.  
'That's going to be my new designation once this big project is completed. Hard to be a hardcore Wrecker mech with a name like Emily. If you guys make the same transition, you'll be right to hang onto your own names, they'll blend in easily.' Emily explained, resettling her twins and reaching up to make sure Brains and Wheelie were safe on her shoulders.  
'Sounds like a plan Emily, Speedshot is perfect.' Windvest agreed, crawling out of the helm. 'But three weeks might be a bit optimistic, we've still got a fair bit of the fiddly shit to get done Ratchet. I'd estimate 5-6 weeks to get everything wired up properly and tested for perfection.'  
'Split the difference, four weeks. I'm sick of the delays guys, get it together. Everything else is waiting for you guys. Weapons are complete, personal shield ticked off, plating has been painted three times and waxed to a perfect shine, jet engines running at 60% prolonged. Wheeljack will be joining the construction efforts in about an hour, get your asses in line and pull together. I'm tired of waiting for you to get organised and finished. Wheeljack not only had time to finish my shielding unit, he's also built three more from scratch and installed them as per my request.' Emily demanded, soothing the twins before turning and stalking out of the workshop, the build team well and truly chastised.

Picking up his tools again, Ratchet got back to work, putting everything he had into the project. It was time to stop messing around, they'd always found a reason not to work their fastest on this body but now it was time to focus. He was aware that the mice hadn't gotten back to work and looked up, watching them swapping confused and hurt looks.  
'Emily's right, we've had this project for nearly eight months, it's time to get it finished. We built Ironhide faster than this and he's bigger than Speedshot. We've all been distracted and twitchy about this job, no one wants to lose Emily as we know her. But this is her choice, she wants to grow and evolve into something more powerful than she could ever dream of being until we showed her the way. She wants what she's never had before, she wants to feel loved and cherished by those closest to her. It's not about us anymore, not about Emily protecting Autobots and Martians, it's about Emily's one chance to truly be happy. Think about it, no human male could possibly keep up with what she does, no Martian male could offer her the family she desires. But somehow she's found what she wants in the embrace of three crazy mechs. I don't know what she sees in those three but she loves them like she's never loved anyone else and now we're standing in the way of her happy ending. We all care about Emily, she's been there for us through so much and kept us safe through a lot. It's our turn to return the favour, it's our turn to protect and help her.' he sighed, picking up his tools again and getting back to work.  
'I can't do this Ratchet, I can't let Emily go. She's been there since day one, tending to us and protecting us from so much. She was the one who patched up my eye, her gentle hands sutured this up after we crashed. I can't just turn my back on her.' Windvest replied, hanging his head. 'I can't let her go, she's the only human I really trust.'  
'Windvest, this isn't goodbye for any of us. Once Emily is on her path, we'll start to take our paths. Some of the bros are already planning their bodies, plotting out what they want to happen with their new forms and establishing new identities for their bikes. Our chance will come, Emily's leading us into the future one last time. She's showing us that everything will be okay, she's proving that we'll be safe to follow her down this path and into a new life. She's asking for one last show of trust from us, for us to believe in her and let her show the way home.' Goggles added, wrapping one arm around Windvest's shoulders.  
'It's okay to be scared Windvest, we're all scared about what the future will bring for us. Emily has tended to us all at one time or another, she's dealt with our various on the job injuries time and time again. She's counting on us, no one else can make her dreams come true now. Come on bro, just think about how happy Emily will be when this is all done and she can be with the ones she loves so very much. Doesn't she deserve a taste of true happiness and the love of family?' Wheelie added, knowing full well that they'd never get the job done without Windvest.  
'You guys are great at the emotional blackmail, you know that.' Windvest sighed, moving past his bros and worming back into Speedshot's helm. 'Let's just get this fuckin' over with.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Arriving at the compound for their usual monthly discussion with Emily, Will and Sam were surprised to be met at the gate by Braidy. While that wasn't too strange, the behaviour of everyone in the compound was definitely weird. There was no one mucking around on the grass, no shouting matches in any language, no loud music or anything usually associated with the team living in the compound. Even Bumblebee, usually so excited to see Sam on his visits, was quiet, sitting under one of the trees. Everyone would look to Ratchet's repair bay occasionally, worried about whatever was going on in there. Closest to the repair bay sat the Wreckers, silent and still as they waited for whatever was going on. The only faces that seemed to be missing from the silent vigil was Emily, Ratchet, Wheeljack and Emily's twins. Everyone else was out here in silence, a truly eerie sight to behold.  
'Optimus, what's going on? This isn't normal for you guys.' Lennox called, approaching the mighty leader sitting under another tree.  
'We are waiting for news of Speedshot. The procedure is taking longer than Ratchet estimated and we are concerned.' Optimus replied, offering his hand to the pair.  
'Who is Speedshot?' Sam asked, taking a seat on Optimus' hand.  
'You have both become aware of the secret project many living here have been working on over the last eight months. This project combines human, Autobot and Martian technologies to create something very special. Speedshot is the culmination of this project and soon will be a reality for all.' Optimus explained, not giving much away regarding the situation.  
'Okay, so where's Emily?' Lennox enquired, looking around for her again.  
'Emily is in with Ratchet and Wheeljack, helping to bring Speedshot to life. I will say no more on the matter until we know for certain that Speedshot will live and join us here.'

Realising they weren't going to get anymore out of Optimus, Sam and Will sat back and waited, so curious about what was going on but not willing to risk annoying the big Autobot. They both nearly flew out of their skin when a bell tolled somewhere close, a signal to those who knew what was going on. Bowing their heads, the team was silent and still, waiting for whatever was to happen next and hoping for a successful transfer.  
'Welcome Speedshot, we await your rebirth.' Optimus muttered, his words only confusing Sam and Will more.

There was another long pause of silence and stillness before the doors of the repair bay swung open and Ratchet emerged, two smaller Autobots cradled in his arms. Getting to their feet, the Wreckers surrounded the medic, Leadfoot and Roadbuster gently taking the smaller Autobots and holding them close, rocking slowly to comfort the little ones.  
'You've met Rumble and Frenzy before, Ratchet just gave them their upgrades to bring them into line with the changes going on in their lives and ours as well.' Optimus explained, watching the Wreckers with their sons.  
'But I thought Emily was caring for them, not the Wreckers.'  
'You were correct Colonel Lennox but things are changing. Speedshot will raise them now, in a proper family environment. Topspin, Leadfoot and Roadbuster will help, the four of them raising the twins to be strong and fast.'  
'So what happened to Emily?'  
'Emily is Speedshot, we figured out how to transfer her personality, memories and very essence into her very own Autobot body. It was Emily's idea from the beginning but the Martians are also very interested in the idea.'  
'Emily did what?' Will gaped, having never expected anything like this was even possible.  
'Emily Hunter is no more Colonel, she gave up her fragile human form for love and a family. The bell you heard signalled the change from Emily to Speedshot, the new forth Wrecker. Soon he will emerge and see the world through new optics for the first time. It was Emily's choice to take a mech form instead of a femme, she wanted to be stronger than any femme frame is capable of being.' Optimus explained, drawing their attention back to the doors of the repair bay. 'Look, I believe he is about to emerge.'

One hand raised to shield new optics from the dazzling summer sun, a dark mech emerged from the repair bay, Ratchet and Wheeljack right behind him and ready to act if he crashed. Lowering his hand slowly, he looked around and smiled, blue optics flickering to yellow as he scanned the crowd all around. Optics brightening in joy, Topspin approached first, trill-whistle-clicking as he reached out to the new arrival. Making a sound reminiscent of an old modem crossed with a TV without reception, the new arrival took the offered hand and stepped closer, embracing the blue bot warmly. Buzzing happily, Topspin returned the hug and chirped softly, clearly so very happy to see the black bot. Shifting their grip on the twins, Roadbuster and Leadfoot joined the hug, the combined chatter making Will think of R2-D2 on speed.

Eventually emerging from the group hug, the black mech had both twins in his arms as he made his way into the waiting group, the other Wreckers right behind him. Mouth plates moving into a smile, he stopped in front of Optimus and handed the twins off again before sinking to one knee a little unsteadily.  
'Wrecker Speedshot reporting for duty, Optimus Prime.' he greeted, dipping his helm in respect. His voice held a distinctly Irish accent, complimenting the other accents the Wreckers had.  
'As you were Speedshot. It's good to see you up and about.' Optimus replied, setting Will and Sam on the ground. 'I am sure you remember Colonel Lennox and Samuel Witwicky.'  
'Of course I do, the transfer was completely successful. All Emily's memories are mine as well.' Speedshot confirmed, flicking his dark mullet back out of the way. Looking closer, Will figured out what it was comprised of, race harnesses and the protective webbing that usually covered the windows.  
'We need to have a long talk about this Speedshot.' he insisted, still shocked that Emily had done this without consulting him.  
'Not us Colonel, you need to speak with Emily about this. I can tell that you're still uncertain about my presence in her place.' Speedshot corrected, moving back and transforming before pushing out his holoform.

Laughing softly, the holoform shook her long brown hair back over her shoulder and folded her arms, looking the pair of stunned humans over quickly.  
'What, you didn't seriously think I'd completely disappear on you, did you Lennox? Eventually this holoform will be replaced with a different one but for now those who knew Emily need to understand what happened.'  
'What did happen? Emily was so determined to keep the Autobots and Martians safe but now she's gone. Now N.E.S.T. has the right to come in here and take everyone to a proper military base.'  
'I continue to protect the Autobots and Martians, N.E.S.T tries to take this compound by force and they will be met by extreme force. There is still work to be done on this project, once everything is complete we will require N.E.S.T protection and support to survive on Earth and still remain secret. This was just phase one.'  
'So what's phase two?' Sam asked, admiring the lines of Speedshot's alt-mode and the bristling weaponry he could see.  
'Phase two will be the transition from Martian to Autobot, using larger vehicles available here at the compound. Stage three will be the modifications to the bikes, upgrading them into fully functioning Autobots as well. You have plenty of time to make arrangements for the switch from this compound to a base of your choice. It will take at least two years to complete the project.'  
'All of you? There's no way we've got space for that many Autobots.'  
'Then you'd best get busy Colonel. Now that the project has begun, it will progress quickly. My transition was the first, the guiding light to those that are to follow. Now things will pick up pace because we will not be burdened with building all the bodies from scratch, merely modifying what is already available here.'  
'I don't see much here that can be modified.'  
'That's because the vehicle bays have always been off limits with your limited pass Samuel. Below this compound are several hangers filled with aircraft of various sorts and four large vehicle bays for ground vehicles that might be required. There is more than enough to choose from, even with Braid and Christine's twins in the mix.'  
'Is there anyway to talk you out of this project?'  
'What has been set in motion cannot be stopped Colonel. The transition is a one way street, we can advance from flesh to steel but never return to the soft world. We have chosen our path and will follow it Colonel.'  
'Then we've got a lot of work to do to prepare for the eventual day when you join us. But there is still the monthly briefing to be dealt with before we can get out of your way.'  
'Blade will be handling all interactions with N.E.S.T and all other organisations, I will only be called to use my holoform when it is absolutely necessary.' Speedshot replied, holoform fading out before he transformed and stood, turning back to his mates. 'For now I am going home to recharge, this has been a most unusual day.'


	16. Moving On

Packing up their belongings and organising what they definitely would need once they arrived in their new home, the massed Autobot force prepared to roll out again. Everyone was expected to pull their own weight but there were definite concerns for some of the smaller Autobots in the convoy. Reshuffling the cargo in the six trailers for the biggest Autobots to haul, they managed to empty one trailer completely for modifications. Dragging the selected trailer clear, Ratchet and his assistance team pulled together to turn the empty space into a double deck transporter. Carving small view ports and air vents into the sides of the container, they lined the decks with whatever soft material they could find to protect the youngsters travelling inside. Some of the newest ground bound Autobots were confident they could make the journey back to Washington DC without help but those that weren't so confident were all too happy to accept the helping hand.

Standing off to the side with Blaster, Speedshot relaxed into the loving embrace of his bondmates and smiled as they watched their twins running around together. Eject and Rewind were so careful with their younger brothers, playing and laughing with them but doing their best not to harm the smaller pair.  
'I'm honoured you trust me with Rumble and Frenzy, I'll take care of them.'  
'Better they can lean against those they know best.' Leadfoot shrugged, smiling proudly at the pair as they raced around with the older twins, tires flicking up the dirt.  
'They'll be good Blaster; you shouldn't have much trouble with them so long as you remember the straps.' Roadbuster added, still amazed that these two little ones were his.  
'Already ran a systems check on those, we're good to go.'  
'Well not entirely, we've still got a fair bit to get organised. I have no idea how Braid and Christine are going to manage this. Tracer and Drift aren't capable of making this journey.' Topspin remarked, gaze drifting over to the other new parents with their kids. 'There might be space in the trailer but there's no promise on that.'  
'I think Braid and Christine have already figured out how to get their twins to DC safely. I heard them talking to Ratchet about electromagnets and underslung loads.' Speedshot replied, components shifting as he stretched out his backstruts.

Shaking out his wings and resettling them against his back, Blade clicked over to where Optimus was standing, watching over the loading process and figuring out the trailers and who would take which loads.  
'well, it's not quite what we planned for but this is pretty close to our hopes for a future together.' he mused, slipping under Optimus' left arm contentedly.  
'We have what we wanted Blade, our chance. Our relationship can only become stronger through this.' Optimus replied, tugging Blade closer. 'This is our chance to be happy as well.'  
'Not only our relationship but our family as well. We still have a responsibility to keep Beast safe.'  
'I still find it amazing that our numbers have increased so much and yet the smaller Autobots still maintain their deep family connection to their now ex-riders. It's now less of a partnership and more of a family feeling.'  
'It's nice to have that connection though, I was concerned we'd lose the bond with the bikes after the change.'  
'Never gonna happen dad.' Beast grinned, rolling over to her fathers and reaching up to them. 'I'll always love you both.'  
'And we'll always love you.' Optimus replied, scooping her up and onto his hip where she just seemed to fit.  
'Don't ever forget that Beast, you'll always have us.' Blade added, reaching up to stroke her cheek tenderly. 'You be good for daddy and I'll see you at our new home, okay?'  
'I will daddy, I'll stay where I'm told and let daddy know if I need help.' Beast nodded, cuddling closer to Optimus.  
'Good girl.' Blade praised, so glad she was accepting Optimus into their family. 'Do I get hugs before I have to leave?'  
'Yay daddy.' Beast beamed, launched from Optimus' embrace and latching onto Blade happily.  
'That's my girl.' Blade chuckled, holding his little angel close. 'I'm going to miss you so much while we're apart.'  
'I'll miss you too daddy.'

They all knew they would have to come back to this compound again at least once more to finish collecting all the vital equipment from the dozens of buildings scattered over the extended property but for now they had all that they could carry. It had taken several brutal culls to get it down to what they had in the five cargo trailers. Ratchet and his team had really made their feelings known though, insisting on their vital equipment. Choosing not to risk their wrath, Optimus had agreed to the medical load up, figuring with so many Autobots to keep an optic on, injuries were bound to happen. They'd also loaded up the most likely needed parts, spreading out the weight to everyone that could take the weight. That meant Ironhide, Hound, Kup and Blaster were all assigned smaller trailers and whatever could be loaded into trays and cargo areas on alt-modes. Apart from those supplies, the rest of the load was personal possessions and a few special pieces from the compound. The appropriately upsized computers were wrapped in bedding and subspaced for safety, everyone quite liking the idea of sitting at the desk and playing games or typing up reports as required. Sunstreaker had packed up several of his canvases, wrapping them in bedding from the storage sheds and protecting them from any harm as they were loaded up with the other more important items in the third trailer. One of his most prized paintings was the one he'd painted after Emily's return from Mars, three Wreckers and a beautiful woman sleeping under the fall oak tree. Seeing that image had choked up many of the Autobots, fresh memories of Emily and her amazing heart catching them off guard. He also packed all his art supplies, hoping to continue to paint once they were settled into their new home with N.E.S.T.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Racing into the sky and away, the fighter wing of the Autobots was first to leave, splitting into smaller groups and angling out in every direction before turning to Washington DC and their new base. Lennox had sent GPS coordinates for the new facility but no one knew for certain if it would be big enough for the situation. It wasn't in the city proper, it was set up on an older Army base that had been given over to N.E.S.T for housing the Autobots. Great big concrete and steel bunkers and tunnels had been dug deep under the base, allowing the Autobots to live in an almost city under the ground with plenty of access to the ground level and the sky beyond. He'd taken all the ideas he'd gotten from this compound and sunk it all in the ground, including the appropriately sized wash racks, sturdy beds and everything else Emily had originally purchased. She'd financed it on the sly and told Lennox where to get the stuff so there hadn't been too many questions asked.

Leaving in convoy as the N.E.S.T team arrived to secure the compound and prevent anyone getting a peek at what was actually going on, the ground team surged against their loads and peeled out, the smaller vehicles watching out for their larger road using companions and guiding them around trouble. The newest big rigs were still adjusting to being so big and obvious on the road but they were slowly getting the hang of what had to be done and how to get it done safely. The four semis were right in the middle of the convoy, everyone accepting that they would have trouble defending themselves with their heavy burdens. Optimus led the junior rigs, the transporter with the younglings and his support trailer strung out behind them. Vinnie rolled second, the nature of his cargo more than enough incentive to behave. He'd been tasked with the precious items trailer, including the painting of Emily and the Wreckers. Third was Throttle, straining with half the repair bay load and a load of furnishing for the new facility. Modo had the rear position, hauling the other half of the repair bay and container of assorted parts and furnishings.

Stringing out along the road, the adults in the convoy kept sharp optics on the younger charges that were determined to try and make the distance to DC if they could. They all knew they could hitch a ride if needed but they wanted to at least try to complete the journey. They stuck close to their assigned guardians for the run, drawing strength from their larger companions and entertaining everyone on the journey. It really was amazing to listen to their joyful wonder of the world around them as they explored with their sensors and tasted the freedom that came with their new sentience.  
"Hey Prime, got some news for you."  
'Go ahead Tank.'  
"Ya know about those Decepticons that the Wreckers got in a fight with?"  
'What about them?'  
"Cross 'em off the threat list, they're deactivated."  
'Say again Tank.'  
"You heard me Prime. The five Decepticons sighted in Wisconsin and responsible for harming the Wreckers have been deactivated. We caught 'em hanging around our new base, trying to be inconspicuous but we found 'em all."  
'Are you certain they have been deactivated?'  
"Well, if they ain't dead now they will be soon. Mechanic team has started cutting 'em up for parts and scrap. Lennox is organising transport for the material as we speak."  
'Do I want to know how you did it? More importantly, did anyone see you?'  
"No one saw us, the area was shielded from curious eyes by a portable version of the shield we used over the Wisconsin compound. We were very careful to contain all combat to the shielded area. As for how we did it, it's amazing what 30 fighters can achieve when we pull together."  
'That is excellent news Tank, I will inform the rest of the team.'  
"Just don't spook the younglings. Couple of us took some damage but it's nothing serious, the Mechanic team will treat the wounded once the deconstruction work is finished. I've already sent Ratchet the injury details, he's not too worried by the damage sustained."  
'Well done to all who were part of the fight. It is a shame we were not all there to assist with the fight.'  
"Don't worry about it Prime, there will be other fights to share. Even if they are just training games. Tank out."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Rumbling into the new facility and heading straight into the hangers and other buildings above ground, the ground team were greeted warmly by the aerial group, many hands coming up to help unload the cargo that had been brought along this time. Letting the younger ones rest, Optimus hooked Throttle's repair bay trailer and heaved off again, following the map Wheelie had sent of where they'd decided to put the repair bay. Never one to rest when there was work to be done, Modo took up the strain on the other repair bay trailer and followed behind, his generous spirit still the same even after all he'd changed in his life.  
"You didn't have to do that Modo, I have hauled many loads since Emily opened her arms to us."  
"Wouldn't be right to have you doing all the work Prime."  
"Your bros seem content to rest as suggested."  
"Vinnie's lazy unless there's something interesting going on and Throttle is still trying to figure out where he fits in this new team. He's used to being a leader but now there are three leaders here, he's not sure where he fits anymore."  
"I admit, I had not considered that. Thank you for bringing it to my attention Modo. I will give the situation some thought and provide Throttle with an answer soon."  
"He'd appreciate that Prime."

Watching from the safety of the upper walkways, Lennox wasn't sure quite what to make of the modified Martin bikes. He'd been expecting the altered abilities but their child-like behaviour was rather shocking. He'd been expected fully developed and combat ready mini Autobots, not this bunch of kids looking around with a mix of concern, fear and excitement.  
'Problem William?' one of the jets asked, his paint scheme and nametag a big help with identification.  
'You could say that Revs. What's with the youngsters?'  
'Apparently Martian computer systems aren't good enough to contain a fully developed Cybertronian AI. With the larger bodies, it was easy to install the right tech to give us full AIs but due to a lack of space in the smaller bodies, the kids will have to grow up like ordinary Cybertronian younglings. Unfortunately, you'll be long deceased by the time they're classed as adults.' Revs explained, Roars clinging to his hand as she looked around curiously. 'We're all adjusting to parenthood but you'll be hard pressed to find a new parent that isn't enjoying every minute with their younglings.'  
'Can't be easy for Braid and Christine, they've got four to keep an optic on.'  
'It takes a village to raise a child, William, we'll all help each other out. Rebel and Hunk are some of the more outgoing younglings, they're already quite friendly with Hound and enjoy spending time with him.'  
'I suppose having all these youngsters around together will make things better too, they can amuse each other.'  
'The team connection is still very strong, you won't have to worry about the younglings getting into too much trouble. There will be days when they misbehave but they're good kids really.'  
'So long as you guys keep an eye on them and make sure they don't leave the base, we won't have a problem. I'll have to reach out through Emily's old contacts and see who can make some jumbo sized kids entertainment though.'  
'Don't worry about that too much William. We've already got plenty of stuff to entertain the kids. We brought some with us now and the rest is still in Wisconsin, we'll have to go back for it eventually.'  
'I've already organised extra transport help, I just need to tell the drivers when they're leaving.'  
'No need to rush William, we have what we need for now. We won't need to go back to Wisconsin for a few weeks.'

Waiting for Brains and Wheelie to get clear, Throttle transformed and stretched for a moment before walking over to take a knee beside Ironhide, gently lifting Nimrah out of his tray and setting her on the ground. Giggling happily, she transformed and waited for Ironhide, launching into his arms the moment he was on his feet. Face lighting up with a smile, Ironhide held her close and looked around at their new home, waiting patiently for Ratchet to get back from checking out the new repair bay.  
'Was that fun little one?' he asked, his toughline personality disappearing as he held his daughter.  
'Uh-ha daddy.' she nodded, locked on around his neck. 'This is home now?'  
'Yeah sweetspark, this is home now. We'll still go back to the country estate for holidays occasionally but this is home.'  
'Okay daddy.' she replied, burrowing closer and looking around from the safety of her father's arms.  
'Check out Lennox, he looks like he's just seen a ghost.' Braidy called, Killer and Dueller holding firm to his hands.  
'Nah, it's more he's not used to the tender side of Ironhide.' Windvest sniggered, Low Rider nestled safely in his arms.  
'No one expects the soft side of Ironhide or Ratchet.' Topspin teased, Rumble deep in recharge in his arms.  
'Just like no one expected to see gentle Wreckers?' Ironhide shot back, turning to the larger family.  
'Kids change ya, won't deny that.' Roadbuster agreed, Frenzy snuggled in against his chest contentedly.  
'Especially those of us who never thought we'd get to have kids.' Falcon nodded, Armageddon sitting quietly at his feet to rest her weary chassis.  
'Some of us know just how precious this opportunity is. This is our chance to help in ways we never could before.' Sidewinder mused, Smash deep in recharge with her head on his shoulder, protected by his high swept wings and loving arms.  
'Not only that Sidewinder, this is our chance to enjoy life as we never could before. What we have now is a huge improvement over what we had.' Speedshot agreed, arms draped casually over Leadfoot's shoulders as they watched over their sons.  
'Couldn't have said it better Speedshot.' Bits grinned, Scrap Babe peeking out from behind him timidly. 'It's alright little one, no one minds if you're a bit different.' he soothed, reaching down and sweeping his little girl up onto his hip. Letting out a little chirp of shock, she nuzzled closer to Bits and dimmed her optics, hunkering into the offered comfort.

Rumbling back into the main hanger, Optimus transformed and stretched, sending out a chorus of pops and creaks as he eased the tension built up in his systems. Rising a moment later, Modo caused another cacophony of creaks and cracks, his glossy silver paint catching the light as he walked over to collect Lil' Hoss from where she was recharging peacefully under Vinnie's watch.  
'Colonel, it's been a long day for all of us. If you would kindly show us to our quarters, we'd be most grateful.' Christine sighed, Tracer and Drift deep in recharge in her arms as Braid held Hunk and Rebel.  
'Of course, there's an access point from this hanger down to the main accommodation hub. Everything is signposted so no one should have any problems finding their way home.' Lennox replied, pointing to the open doors at the other end and the covered walkway disappearing underground. 'The tunnels should be big enough but still be careful.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Lennox had done a great job with the accommodation, starting with a large steel-lined rec room complete with comfortable furniture and a massive TV on the far wall. He'd even managed to get three properly sized pool tables for them, everything scaled up to a suitable scale that would make it easy for just about everyone to play. They were a bit high for some of the bikes and probably a little low for Optimus and the other 30-footers but on average, they would be perfect. Somehow Lennox had also found a variety of giant beanbags to suit everyone.  
'Better hope no one busts a beanbag. That'll be a real mess to clean up.' Magura remarked, scanning the signposts beside each of the fifteen corridors leading off the hub for his name.  
'Then I suggest we ban Prime's fat aft from the beanbags. Pop one of those massive ones and it'll be snowing in here for a week.' Speedshot added, ducking the couch cushion Prime threw at him.  
'Gotta agree with Speedshot there, big rigs and beanbags are a bad idea.' Throttle nodded, adjusting Lady against his chest tenderly.  
'Gonna take a while to get used to this rat maze down here.' Bumblebee commented, gazing at the base map on the nearest wall.

His description was pretty much exactly what they had to contend with down here. Fifteen main corridors branched out from the accommodation hub, dozens more corridors branching out from the main set and creating a web of interconnected tunnels in a big circle around the hub. Some of the tunnels were marked as storage and supply rooms but that still left the challenge of finding their way home.  
'Tunnel 6, second left, first left, third right.' Goggles uttered, Flicker clinging to his hand and rubbing tired optics. 'Come on sweetie, naptime.' he added, scooping her up and tucking her close.  
'm'kay daddy.' she nodded, burrowing into his chestplate and dimming her optics.  
'That's my girl.' he praised, entering the tunnel system and following his map to their rooms.

Figuring out their own routes through the maze, the busy parents started splitting off the main group, disappearing into the gently lit tunnels and made their way through the network of tunnels, cradling their dozy youngsters close and soothing them into recharge. Even those that had been given a lift to their new base were taken to bed, their routine more important than their idle curiosity now. If the youngsters were ever to accept this place as their new home, a certain continuity had to be maintained for the sanity of everyone involved. Even those that didn't have younglings to put down for a nap headed into the maze as well to locate their homes and figure out the fastest ways up to the surface if they were ever needed in a hurry. Some of the tunnels were bigger than others but there wouldn't be room for any mistakes if an emergency was called. Only about a third of the tunnels were actually wide enough for flight, funnelling the air team into tight confines if they were needed in a rush.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Coming down a few hours later, Lennox and Sam both smiled at the sight in the central hub. Ripper and Rictor were at one of the pool tables, laughing happily as they played. Prowl and Jazz had the second table, occasionally turning to the TV to watch the kid-safe movie someone had put on. Wheeljack and Blaster stood by the third table but they weren't playing, they were there to give their sons a boost so they could play. Eject and Rewind seemed happy enough to share, taking turns to hit the striped balls scattered all over the table. Whistle-trilling something to Optimus, Bumblebee stood and walked over to Sam, offering up his hand to the younger man. Smiling warmly, Sam vaulted the railing and landed safely, holding on until Bee set him safely on the concrete. Transforming down, Bee opened his door in invitation and revved his engine, earning a happy laugh as Sam climbed in behind the wheel and they tore out of the hub, heading up to burn off some energy and have fun.

Sitting on beanbags in front of the big TV, the youngsters were all too happy to watch Pocahontas, the overbalance of girls making the movie choice an easy one. The boys didn't seem to care though, they were just happy to be near their parents and watching something new. Sipping their cubes in peace and relaxing wherever they were most comfortable, the adults kept an optic on the youngsters and made sure they were behaving but the kids were far too interested in the movie.  
'Ah, William. Thanks for the movie collection, better than letting Jazz get them for us.' Shift grinned, lifting his cube in a toast.  
'Hey, I woulda paid for my downloads this time. Emily left me a private account I can use for that stuff.' Jazz countered, looking rather put out by the accusation.  
'Well that's good Jazz, we're still dealing with the lawsuits from your last download spree. It's taking a while and starting to get real expensive. Thankfully we can use some of the money Emily left to pay the fines and court fees.' Lennox nodded, leaning on the railing and watching the group chilling out. 'Of all the things I expected now that you guys are here, this is definitely not what I was thinking.' he added, quite liking the peace that filled the room.  
'We have family to consider now Colonel, it's only natural that things change.' Throttle shrugged, getting up to refill his cube.  
'Speaking of family. Annabelle's wondering when her Hidey-Hide is coming home.' Lennox chuckled, gaze shifting to the frontliner.

Groaning at the mention of that little nickname and the secret happiness that went with it, Ironhide knew he was in for some fairly incessant teasing from the twins for such a thing but there was nothing that could be done about that now.  
'How old is little Annabelle now?' he asked, Ratchet's solid weight against his chest preventing him from turning to face the soldier.  
'She just turned 6 last week. Right before she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, she wished for just one thing. She wished that Hidey-Hide would come home.'  
'Lennox, I have my own family to think about, I can't just run off like I used to.'  
'Come on man, it's not that far to go and it would make Annabelle so happy.'  
'And when I leave to go home, she'll go with the waterworks again. No deal Lennox. Can't stand to see that little bitlet of yours cryin'.' Ironhide replied, gaze drifting to where Nimrah was sitting, Brains and Wheelie perched in her lap. 'Don't even think about it Sideswipe, I'm warnin' ya.'  
'Come home Hidey-Hide.' Sunstreaker chirped, taking advantage of the opening presented.

Gently setting Brains and Wheelie down on her beanbag, Nimrah stood and looked at her parents before toddling over to where Sunstreaker was lounging with his twin. Climbing up onto Kup's lap, she got within reach and whipped something out of subspace, a loud clang ringing out before she leapt back into the safety of Kup's arms and scampered away to her parents. Staring at the overturned couch, no one knew what to say for a few moments, all too shocked by what they'd just seen. Untangling themselves quickly, the twins sat up and glared at Nimrah where she was sitting, safe in Ratchet's embrace and peeking over the back of the couch. There on Sunstreaker's helm was a neat little curved dent, a perfect miniature of the ones Ratchet was best known for delivering when annoyed. Standing on Ratchet's thigh, she pulled out her little wrench again and waved it threateningly, refusing to back down. Blinking in disbelief, Ratchet wasn't quite sure how to react. She'd obviously picked up the behaviour from him but if he chastised her for it, she'd tell him off the next time he belted someone with his much bigger wrench. But if he praised her actions, he'd be putting lie to their attempts to teach her that violence solves nothing. Behind Ratchet, Ironhide silenced his vocaliser and laughed internally, amazed by what his daughter had done and so very proud of her actions.  
'That'll teach you to be a mouthy glitch. Even Nimrah knows you're a terror Sunstreaker.' Ratchet smirked, snuggling back in against Ironhide's chest and relaxing, Nimrah jumping down and retuning to her beanbag.  
'Gah, evil toddler.' Sunstreaker growled, turning and stalking from the room, Sideswipe skating after his twin and trying to ease his foul mood.  
'Don't think this means you've avoided the question Ironhide. When are you gonna come back to the house?'  
'Why don't you bring Sarah and Annabelle here instead? They already know about us, it's not like we're a secret to them.' Wheeljack suggested, busy helping gather up the pool balls again for another game.  
'Problem solved Lennox. I don't have to leave my family and Annabelle gets her wish.' Ironhide added, totally content to cuddle Ratchet close and relax.  
'Alright, I'll organise something.' Lennox nodded, figuring that was the best he was going to get.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Dealing with an energy rush from their twins, the Wreckers left the hub and headed topside, six engines rumbling in chorus. The kids loved this game and were getting better with it every time they played. It was a simple enough game, the twins had to avoid their parents while the parents had to try and tag their nimbler sons. Racing out of the hanger, Rumble and Frenzy split, their engines screaming as they split and charged across the tarmac. Laughing across their bond, the parents gave chase, dialling back their speed as they rocketed across the tarmac after the pair. There was no real plan, it was more about having fun and wearing the twins out before it got dark.

Wandering across the tarmac, Lennox and Epps paused and watched the wild game going on around them, captivated by the simple game the six were involved in.  
'Man, you didn't tell me those three were back as well. You are not saddling me with their insanity again.'  
'They're different Autobots now Epps, relax. Besides, there's now four Wreckers.'  
'Four of them? No way, I am not working with four Wreckers, three was hard enough.'  
'You won't find them swearing and spitting anymore, the Wreckers have matured so much since Speedshot joined them. Of course, the fact they are now responsible for raising two younglings helps with that as well.'  
'Younglings? As in Autobot kids?'  
'Yeah, there's been a big boost in Autobot numbers over the last couple of years. SAU 14 traded in their fur and flesh for steel and wings, creating a mighty aerial force and all their bikes were given upgrades to turn them into Autobots as well. The bikes are still immature though, they're more like kids but they'll grow in time.'  
'So what happened to Emily to force this big change with the Autobots?'  
'She was the first to make this transition as the Autobots called the change over. Her personality was put into a body that Ratchet built to her specifications. Given the way the body was built, Emily gave up her female identity and name to become Speedshot, the fourth Wrecker and a mech with a big punch. There he goes, the black one.'  
'What have you been smoking man? No way is that black bot Emily.'  
'Believe what you want Epps, I know the truth.'

Leaving another black mark on the tarmac, Rumble shot past the pair with a loud squeal and leant over, ripping away from Topspin as the blue mech bore down on him. Swinging wider around the two humans, Speedshot transformed on the fly and reached out, wrapping Rumble up in his arms and rolling across the ground with a laugh. Brakes squealing in an attempt to avoid the pair on the ground, Topspin transformed and landed beside them, cracking up laughing as he sat up slowly. Racing around from the other end, Frenzy activated his brakes and skidded around the pair on the ground, narrowly avoiding Topspin's reaching hand. But Topspin wasn't trying to catch Frenzy, he was just the distraction. Racing around another building, Leadfoot broke open and rolled, catching Frenzy and pulling him close to his chest. Coming around from the other side, Roadbuster reacted quickly to the pair rolling across the ground and transformed, taking the brunt of his speed into his forearms and flipping over to join the family pile. Laughing happily and leaning against each other, the six were totally relaxed and content, a completely different picture to what Epps was used to seeing from the Wreckers.  
'Hey, look, its Epps.' Topspin called, Rumble climbing over to get up onto his shoulders.  
'Didn't think we'd ever be seein' him again.' Roadbuster added, Frenzy curled up against his chest happily.  
'Doubt he was expectin' ta see us with family either.' Leadfoot agreed, leaning into Speedshot's side more.  
'Reckon Lennox has told him the story yet? You just know he'll be lookin' for Emily.' Speedshot smirked, fluttering his doorwings and hiking them up to shield his optics from the setting sun.

Getting to their feet, the happy family turned and headed for the nearest underground entrance, Rumble and Frenzy set back on the ground and walking between their parents. Their game had taken them close to the entrance nearest their home, so it didn't take long at all to get back to their suite. Picking up the boys, Roadbuster headed straight for the wash racks, the boys nestling into the safety offered. Downing half a cube, Leadfoot went next door to prepare the berths and sort out the bedtime story for the twins once they were ready for bed. Pausing a moment to push Speedshot towards the couch, Topspin headed into the kitchen and rinsed out the two sparklings cubes, drying them quickly and preparing the special energon they were drinking. Ratchet had put the pair on an altered formula for at least another year, they were still growing their abilities into their new bodies.

Listening to the sounds of his settling family, Speedshot dimmed his optics and relaxed, doorwings drooping back to a secondary position against his back. He only carried them high when it was necessary, most of the time his doorwings were hardly noticeable from the rest of his armour.  
'Bedtime for the twins hey Speedshot?' Lennox asked, coming in through the upper door with Epps.  
'Yeah, gotta keep their routine solid or this base is in for a bad time. Rumble and Frenzy aren't so bad but with 60 odd younglings to take care of, routine is critical.' Speedshot nodded, puttering around and cleaning up the apartment as he waited for his mates.  
'I only saw two little ones, no way are you caring for 60 kids.'  
'Not us personally Epps, we're busy with our pair. All the fighter jets and attack choppers, once brave members of SAU 14 are proud parents, each one raising their own daughter. Only Harley has yet to make the transition, his technology is not good enough for even the most basic of Cybertronian AI's. He is still waiting for his chance, a chance that will come soon. For now he is in stasis in the medical bay, holding out for his time to be reunited with the signature of his first partner and parental figure. Three of the mice chose not to take flight, they decided to stay on the ground. You'll find them in the high ceiling section, they took on a nice trio of semis of all the choices they could make.'  
'You really are Emily, ain't you Speedshot?'  
'Give the man a prize, he's got it. Don't look so concerned Epps, things are better now that everything has changed. It's all for the best, life is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. Optimus has relaxed, Ironhide's calmed down, Ratchet ain't such a grump anymore, Bumblebee is more responsible now, Wheeljack's experiments are aimed well away from anything that might explode, Jazz is taking it easy on the loud music and everyone is generally leaning away from combat and into helping raise the youngsters as well as teaching those of us who don't know the full history of Cybertron.' 

Emerging from the wash racks, Roadbuster carried the twins over to Speedshot for cuddles and an easy after wash routine. Settling on the couch, Speedshot accepted both boys and settled them on his lap. Splitting his focus between the pair, Speedshot gently towelled the boys off, singing softly in their native language to further calm them. Trilling sleepily as they sat there, the twins obligingly moved as asked, the soft blue towels getting under their plating and spreading a comforting warmth over them. Coming over to the couch, Topspin perched on the coffee table and held out the small cubes, chittering softly as the boys took their cubes and leant back into Speedshot's tender hold to have their dinner. Continuing the gentle song, Speedshot waited for the boys to finish their dinner before giving them one last rub with their towels and handing both wet towels to Roadbuster. Handing their empty cubes to Topspin, the twins huddled back in against Speedshot's chest and relaxed as they were carried off to their bedroom where Leadfoot was waiting for them.

Towels hung up and youngling cubes washed for the next use, Topspin and Roadbuster settled on the couch and put their feet up, Speedshot bringing them both a cube as they finally relaxed. Even with the four of them to care for the kids, it was a big job for first time parents and would only get bigger when Harley joined the family.  
'So, how's family life treating you two?' Lennox asked, glancing at Epps with a grin.  
'It's been a steep learning curve but we're getting better. At least we've got bedtime down now.' Roadbuster replied, just about ready to fall into a light recharge where he was.  
'At least we can take some comfort in the knowledge that we're not learning how to be parents all alone. So many Autobots are discovering how to parent effectively, some with bigger burdens than others. Braid and Christine are trying to raise four at once, their twins Tracer and Drift and the two bikes Rebel and Hunk. Hound and Mirage help them out as much as they can but it's still a big challenge for them.' Topspin added, shuffling over so Speedshot could join them on the couch. 'Which story tonight?'  
'Believe it or not, Little Red Riding Hood. Leadfoot was going to read some more Winnie the Pooh but no, they didn't want that.'  
'Course not, Winnie the Pooh is my story. Apparently I do better character voices than Leadfoot does.' Roadbuster replied, listening to the soft story from the other berthroom. 'They especially like my Piglet.'  
'Gotta love those two, they know what they like. Last time I read them a story, it was Cinderella. Don't ask me what a couple of young boys see in that story.' Topspin added, shaking his head in wonder at their choices.  
'they're young, Spin, they don't care what the story is, they just care that they are both getting lots of undisrupted parent time before bed. Honestly, you could probably read them the regs manual with funny voices and they'd love it.' Speedshot replied, wondering what his next story would be. He'd just finished reading them Snow White.

Chuckling softly, Lennox thought about some of the odd things he'd had to do to get Annabelle to sleep during some of her unsettled times. Little things that Sarah had never found out about, thankfully.  
'What's so funny Lennox?' Roadbuster asked, one arm slung around Speedshot's shoulders.  
'Just thinking about my little girl and some of the stuff I've had to do.' Lennox replied, still so amazed by the similarities between the Autobots and the human race. 'I remember a few times when she was having trouble, I'd hold her to my chest, pace the room and chant cadence for her. Don't ask me why it works, all I know is it does. I just hope Sarah never finds out about it, she'd give me hell about using military training to put our little girl to sleep.'  
'Sometimes the strange ideas are the best. Black, Carbon and Speed tuck their daughters into a nest together and swing them into recharge. I don't know what the girls get out of it but it works for them.' Speedshot added, leaning back into the offered shoulder and sighing contentedly. 'how'd it go Lead?' he asked softly, not even looking up as Leadfoot half closed the door into the second berthroom and headed for the couch, collecting the other two cubes on the bench as he passed.  
'Only got halfway through and they were out like lights.' he replied, squeezing in between Topspin and Speedshot, handing one cube to the darker mech and settling back.  
'Aww, bless their little sparks. It's been a busy day for them, I'm surprised they lasted this long.' Speedshot grinned, sipping his cube and drawing Leadfoot closer. 'But then, I'm not sure we'll be awake much longer.'  
'Mmhmm.' Topspin nodded, right on the edge of recharge but trying to resist.  
'C'mon Spin, off to bed with ya.' Roadbuster chuckled, squeezing out from behind Speedshot and hauling Topspin to his feet. 'Don't be up too late you two, you know how the boys get first thing.'  
'We'll be in soon Buster, we'll just finish these and say goodnight to our guests.' Speedshot replied, watching the pair wander away, Roadbuster practically carrying Topspin.  
'It is getting kinda late. Sarah will be expecting me home soon.' Lennox added, pushing off the railing and stretching.  
'Yeah, I gotta get home too. My wife is still annoyed I came back to N.E.S.T.' Epps agreed, not sure what had possessed him to make coming back seem like a good idea.  
'Night guys, we'll talk again tomorrow sometime.' Leadfoot offered, far too comfortable to even consider getting up.  
'Yeah, sounds like a plan Leadfoot.' Lennox nodded, ushering Epps out the door and disappearing from sight.

Draining their cubes and easing to their feet, Leadfoot and Speedshot rinsed their cubes and made their way to the main berthroom, smiling at the tender sight before them. This was something only seen in the safety of their home, the affection displayed in public was but a fraction of the love they shared. There was Roadbuster, flat on his back with Topspin curled in against his left side, feet tangled together and helm tucked under his chin. Climbing onto the berth, Leadfoot snuggled in on Roadbuster's right, shifting and squirming until he was comfortable. Last into bed, Speedshot snuggled in tight against Leadfoot's back, nudging various pieces out of the way before settling, optics dimming into inky blackness. Stirring for a moment, Topspin reached out blindly in the dark, not awake enough to consider onlining his optics as he searched out the familiar touch of a loving hand. Then he found it, blue fingers tangling with black over a red hip and tugging gently so his arm rested on green abdominal plating more comfortably. Mumbling in his recharge, Roadbuster tightened his grip on the pair in his arms, right arm shifting again to stretch under Speedshot's neck as well. Finally content and connected, the quartet were still and silent save for the humming of internals and the occasional rattle of intakes as they recharged happily.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Forgetting all about what Lennox had organised for the weekend, Ironhide was totally focused on Nimrah, watching over her as she played with the other younglings in the largest hanger. Optimus had suggested the supervised play time, giving the younglings a chance to play above ground without every parent needing to watch out for their own sons and daughters. Instead, two of the adults stood around the walls of the hanger, constantly on the watch for any problems or arguments among their charges. Nimrah was the biggest of the group but she was aware of her size and played accordingly, always so careful not to harm the other youngsters around her as they enjoyed a bit of fun. She had trouble catching the younger bikes, they were way too fast for her.

Wandering into the hanger with Annabelle and Sarah in tow, Lennox was quite surprised to see all the youngsters playing so happily, dozens of happy voices ringing together to create a truly wonderful atmosphere. Face lighting up at the sight of her Hidey-Hide, Annabelle gave Sarah the slip and ran across the hanger, smart enough to hug the walls and avoid the younglings but nothing was getting in her way until she was seated on Ironhide's foot like she belonged there. Sensing the slight change, Ironhide looked down, blinking in shock when he saw Annabelle sitting there.  
'Hidey-Hide!' she beamed, craning her neck to look up at him.  
'Hello again Annabelle.' Ironhide grinned, amazed by how much bigger Annabelle was after all the time separated.  
'When you come home?' she asked, such sorrow in her young eyes. 'I miss you.'  
'I miss you too Annabelle but I can't go home with you anymore.' Ironhide sighed, sliding down the wall and offering one hand to the little girl. She climbed onto his fingers and into his palm, sitting there with total confidence in Ironhide.  
'But why? You always come home to us.'  
'I am needed here little one. I have a little one of my own to love and care for as your daddy loves and cares for you.'  
'No! You're part of our family. You come home now!'  
'No Annabelle, I must stay here. My family needs me now, I cannot go to your house again.'

Tripping and falling, Nimrah had tried to break her fall by transforming but now she was stuck half way between, her transformations still sticky at the best of times. So she did the one thing she could in the situation and called for her daddy across the family bond. Reacting instantly, Ironhide crouched and slid Annabelle into Sarah's arms before hurrying to Nimrah's side, soothing her with love and tenderness across the bond. Dropping to his knees beside his little angel, he figured out what stage she was up to and got busy, easing her tangled body back through the sequence until she was sitting on the concrete.  
'You okay lil' angel?' he asked, helping her up and checking her over for damage.  
'I was scared daddy.' she replied, latching on around his neck and holding tight.  
'It's alright Nimrah, I've got ya.' Ironhide soothed, so tender with his daughter as he stood, holding her close to his mighty chest.  
"'Hide, what's going on? Is Nimrah okay?" Ratchet asked over the bond, worry seeping through the link.  
"She's fine Ratch, just had a sticky transformation. I got it covered. Bit of a scare but she's okay."  
"Daddy makes it all better, hmm?"  
"Somethin' like that Ratch. She's gotten all clingy again but you know how she is."  
"Enjoy it while it lasts 'Hide."

Returning to his spot by the wall, Ironhide slid down to sit comfortably, Nimrah settled in his lap and refusing to give up her tight grip around his neck. Shifting one leg a little, Ironhide supported her in such a way that her grip didn't cut off the vital lines in his throat while keeping her safely enclosed in a bubble of fatherly love.  
'I still can't believe you have a daughter, Ironhide.' Lennox remarked, climbing up to perch on one dark blue knee before leaning down and taking Annabelle and helping Sarah up to sit beside him.  
'Life has a way of surprising everyone, even those as old as I am. I never expected to start a family but I am so glad I have Nimrah. The future of our people is assured now, thanks to all these youngsters.' Ironhide nodded, gaze drifting over the happy kids.  
'Not for a while though, they seem so young.' Sarah mused, also watching the youngsters playing innocent games.  
'That is true, it will be quite some time before another generation is assured but for now our race is thriving once again. It has been many thousands of years since so many younglings were in existence together and living without fear.' Ironhide confirmed, back to focusing on his little girl.  
'Daddy, why is the human sparkling staring at me?' Nimrah asked, lifting her head off his shoulder.  
'Before you were sparked, I was assigned by Uncle Optimus to be the guardian of this family. At first it was only Lennox, then I went to his home and met his mate and daughter. I spent many years as guardian of the family, getting to know them all very well. I lived with them, protected them and was welcomed into their family. I watched Annabelle grow up every day, changing from a helpless little sparkling in Sarah's arms to the young girl sitting there in her father's lap. But things have changed now, I am no longer needed as guardian of the Lennox family and I have you to love and take care of. Annabelle wants me to come back home with them, to go back to the way things were.' Ironhide explained, easily ignoring the dark look Annabelle was giving him.  
'But you're my daddy. They can't have you anymore.' Nimrah insisted, pressing closer to Ironhide's chassis.  
'I know that Nimrah, I ain't leavin' ya ever. Annabelle doesn't like that idea but I am never goin' ta leave ya. I'll always be right here for ya Nimrah.' Ironhide nodded, half expecting Annabelle to start crying.  
'Ironhide, a little subtlety wouldn't go astray. You've been a part of this family since Annabelle was just a baby, of course she's attached to you.'  
'There is no subtle way to say these things Sarah Lennox. I have a family of my own to care for, I cannot be such an integral part of Annabelle's life any longer. Ratchet and Nimrah are my primary focus, my bondmate and our daughter. If that offends you, then it offends you but that is the way it must be.' Ironhide shrugged, Nimrah burrowed back in close to his chest.  
'So that's it Ironhide, all we've shared is gone.'  
'Lennox, in case you have forgotten, I owe my very existence to Ratchet and Wheeljack. I died for this cause in the hopes that my people would live free one day. I was saved by the efforts of SAU 14, transported to Chicago by Emily, protected by all and then rebuilt by those I trusted. But pieces are missing, memories mostly. Ratchet said it's nothing serious, just the last few things I thought about before the end and only to be expected. A lot of those memories were of the times we spent together, times on leave and times when we were workin'. I'll never get those times back so I'm focusin' on what really matters, my family. The past is past, time to look forward and face the future.'  
'Daddy, I wanna go home and practise some more. I can get this, I know I can.' Nimrah uttered, sitting up a little more and flaring out her little doorwings.  
'Alright sweetie, we'll go home so you can practise a bit more.' Ironhide nodded, effectively ending the dispute with the Lennox family. Realising that they weren't going to get any more out of Ironhide, Lennox climbed down and held Annabelle to his chest with one arm as he reached up to help Sarah down.  
'I don't like you anymore Hidey-Hide.' Annabelle huffed, turning away from him.  
'You'll learn sparkling.' Ironhide replied, getting to his feet and striding from the hanger, Nimrah happily latched on around his neck still and pleased to have gotten rid of the competition for her daddy.


	17. Even Stronger

Smiling happily as he watched the flyers weaving rather complex patterns overhead, Optimus knew their future was in good hands. Even as the oldest members of the original team aged and eventually left this beautiful world behind, the Autobot way of life was assured for many generations to come. Harley had finally joined the ranks, his minor upgrades putting him level with the other bikes and giving the Wreckers even more to do to keep their three kids entertained and developing properly. Ironhide and Lennox were still not on speaking terms but Optimus supported Ironhide's decision, understanding why the old blue mech wanted to spend all the time he had with Nimrah and Ratchet. He'd already technically died once, he understood the gift he'd been given and wasn't going to waste a minute of the time he had. Bumblebee, although still close to Sam, wasn't so willing to leave the base and go racing with Sam and Carly down the highways and freeways of DC. He had a new focus as well, a focus that had surprised many. He was most often found hanging around with Rictor and helping to raise Racer into a happy and healthy young femme. They hadn't bonded yet but everyone expected that would come soon.

Skating up beside him, Beast reached out and took one large hand in hers, tipping her helm back to follow the sharp lines of her other father high overhead. Smiling softly as he looked down, Optimus crouched and grasped Beast around the waist, lifting her up to sit on his shoulders. Giggling happily, she rested her hands on his helm and looked up again, watching Blade fly with his bros, 54 fighters flying in neat formations as the four attack choppers ran lower formation flights. It didn't matter how many fighters were up there, Optimus knew he would always be able to pick Blade out from the crowd. His paint job was unique, red wings and black body with gold highlights to catch the light and set him ablaze. He'd added another detail to the mix, blue flames reaching over his red wings, the line between the colours traced in gold. Securing their family connection, Optimus had accepted a golden touch, his already spectacular flame design now also edged in gold. Beast had also taken his blue, the elegant pin striping curling across her fairings and making sure no one could mistake them as a family.

Training at an end, the aerial team came down from the sky, transforming and running off the last of their speed before splitting and heading for other duties. Transforming and drifting down on his repositioned thrusters, Blade touched down lightly and walked over to his family, fluttering his wings into a more comfortable place.  
'I wanna fly daddy.' Beast grinned, those words a prelude to a simple game that she loved so much.  
'Alright Beast, time to fly.' Optimus nodded, lifting her down and taking a knee. Placing both her tiny hands in his much larger right hand, she set her wheels and hunched down a little more, streamlining her body and making ready for her flight. Spotting the preparations, Blade stopped and backed up a few steps before crouching, arms open wide.  
'Fly to me Beast, fly.' he called, right into this game as well.  
'Final launch preparations commencing.' Optimus intoned, pinning her hands to his with his thumb. 'Launch in three…two…one.' rolling his shoulder, he swung his hand in a wide, flat arc, thumb lifting the moment Beast was on course to Blade.

Swinging her arms down and streamlining them against her sides, Beast rocketed across the tarmac, deep orange optics focused on Blade as she experienced the next best thing to actually flying. This was pure speed, the wind tearing at her plating as she shot across the tarmac with a joyful scream before she was caught in Blade's loving hands and eased to a safe stop. Rocking to his feet, Blade headed for Optimus, Beast rolling circles around him.  
'You've been taking lessons from Uncle Sideswipe, haven't you sweetie?' Blade asked, watching her skate so gracefully but with a little more speed, her graceful elegance would turn deadly.  
'uh-ha, he's been teaching me lots and lots daddy.' she nodded, turning and skating backwards, totally at home on her wheels in ways she'd never shown before.  
'You're doing so well with it too, I'm so proud of you.' Blade praised, glancing up at Optimus and seeing the same wonder at her antics in his optics. 'We're both so very proud of you Beast.'  
'I will keep learning daddy, I can do better than this.' she promised, picking up the pace and skating rings around Optimus.  
"Are you sure it's a good idea for Sideswipe to be teaching our daughter?" Optimus asked, concern flicking across the bond.  
"Sure, he's the only one with so much experience on two wheels in a bipedal form. I've already warned him to stick to teaching her how to be a fast little warrior and a great skater. Anything more and he's in big trouble." Blade replied, watching their angel dance through combat manoeuvres. It would be some time before she truly grasped the combat abilities of her new skating abilities but both parents prayed she'd never have to be a warrior.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Relaxing in the sun, Wheeljack watched Perceptor skating around with some of the other bikes, the young ones playing a fast game of tag. On Perceptor's request, Wheeljack had painted a large circle on the tarmac, the kids challenged to stay inside the circle and still avoid the reaching hand of whoever was trying to tag them. Right now Imperial was in, blue and black paint blurring as she chased after Perceptor. The game was more than just a simple game though, it was all about encouraging the kids to experiment with what they could do on their wheels. Sideswipe had been teaching them all the basics but now was their time to expand and explore, figuring out what worked for their different configurations.  
'I got you Perceptor!' she called, holding up her marking stick and the white paint dipped sponge on the end.  
'You did? I can't see the paint.' Perceptor remarked, looking for the white smear that marked him as tagged. 'Dad?'  
'What's the problem Perceptor?' Wheeljack asked, easing to his feet.  
'Imperial said she tagged me but I can't see the paint.'  
'Turn around Perceptor, let me see.' Wheeljack directed, knowing that if Imperial had said she'd got him, she'd tagged him. 'There it is, no wonder you can't see it Perceptor. It's right here on your seat.' he grinned, touching the wet paint and showing Perceptor the white smear on his fingers.  
'Well done Imperial, I never even felt it.' Perceptor praised, stretching around to touch his seat, feeling the wet paint under his fingertips. 'Very well done.'  
'Thanks Perceptor.' she replied, handing him the stick and skating out of his reach. 'Your turn now.'  
'You're such a good boy Perceptor. You play very well with the younger ones.' Wheeljack praised, bolstering Perceptor's confidence again before leaving him to play.

Optics dimming a little, Wheeljack stretched out on the warm tarmac and sighed contentedly, activating a secondary power converter and rolling over onto his front. Adjusting his back armour, he turned two small panels to the sun and settled, the dark panels drawing in the light and heat energy from the summer sun and converting it into energy for his systems. These panels were a big advantage, allowing those lucky enough to have them to pull energy from other sources. Wheeljack remembered on one planet they'd landed, he'd used his panels to scoop in wind power for conversion, sustaining his needs by his panels so those he was with had more energon. Heat and light energies were the easiest to convert but any source would pass for a while.  
'Recharge without recharge hey Wheeljack.' Goggles remarked, settling beside the brighter Mercedes and leaning back on his elbows, not wiling to crush his sensitive wings into the tarmac.  
'Just catching a few rays Goggles, nothing big. Perceptor seems to have rediscovered his stolen youth now that he has more younglings to play with.' Wheeljack replied, helm pillowed on his folded arms. 'He seemed so grown up before we moved here, what changed to bring him back to his youth?'  
'My guess, he was trying to be a role model to the younger bots. But he's realised that they have enough role models are really would prefer more friends. He's realised that it's okay to be a youngling again, no one will judge him by his childish antics.'  
'And how would you know that Goggles?'  
'I managed to keep my gift Wheeljack, I can see beneath his surface emotions to what he's thinking.'  
'Get out of his head, he's been through enough without you prying into his personal thoughts.'  
'Actually Wheeljack, he wants someone to tell him that his dark thoughts are okay. He's scared that the hatred he feels for the one you left him with will steal away the last happy memories of his youth. You need to talk to him about what happened back then, encourage him to open up to someone. He might open up to you, he might decide he'd rather talk to someone else. Whatever he decides, let him know that you love him and will always be there to help him.' Goggles shrugged, easing to his feet and stretching out his wings contentedly. 'Later Wheeljack.' he added, walking away with a slight spring in his step.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Surprised to find Blaster sitting on his own out on the outskirts of the base, Tank climbed up onto the dirt pile and sat beside the altered pickup, waiting to see if Blaster would open up to him. Lifting his gaze, Blaster glanced at Tank and sighed softly, mournful optics flicking away from the blue, silver and black jet beside him.  
'What's the matter Blaster? This ain't like you.' Tank tried, worried for his friend. They had an unlikely friendship but somehow it worked for them. 'You know you can always talk to me, it won't go any further than just us.'  
'Yeah, I know Tank. I was just thinking…about my sons.'  
'Eject and Rewind? What'd they do this time?'  
'Not those two, the others. I had six little ones at the start, Eject and Rewind are the lucky survivors.'  
'I'm sorry to hear that Blaster. I lost my family too, the wars on Mars claimed everyone else. My parents, brothers, sisters, life-mate and unborn child. Ten lives all destroyed while I was out on missions or trapped here.'  
'How do you cope with the pain? I'm barely able to cope, I keep putting on a brave face but it hurts so bad.'  
'I can take comfort in the knowledge that my family is safe in the embrace of Gen-Duv, the Martian God of the Underworld. I find solace in knowing that they are now seated at the feet of the gods and goddesses that chose my family members as their own. My mother sits with Harla, Goddess of the Home. My father has a place with Tu-Sal-Mar, God of War. My siblings, all six of them, gather around Renla, Goddess of Children as they died before they were chosen by anyone else and with them sits the child I fathered but never had the chance to know. My life-mate, Fairing, will be dressed in a gown of pure silver and joins the others around Yissa, Goddess of Beauty.'  
'And when you die, where will you go?'  
'I will join the ranks behind Recha, God of Justice. I will do his bidding and bring justice to the Children of Mars.'  
'This brings you comfort? You are all separated, seated with so many different Gods and Goddesses.'  
'Just because we sit with different ones does not mean we are apart. All souls go to the same grand nature palace, are free to find those that went before them and converse as they did in life but as darkness surrounds the palace of trees, each soul returns to the chambers of their chosen deity.'

Nodding slowly, Blaster dropped his gaze again and let his mind drift back to his missing sons, four wonderful little boys left behind because there was no time to give the dead any respect. He missed them all so much, life didn't seem right without his six dear boys bouncing around his feet when there was a peaceful moment, everyone wanting their share of his attention.  
'Tell me about your sons, allow me to know them and share your grief for the young lives lost.' Tank coaxed, shuffling closer to Blaster and shielding him with one dark wing. 'There is no need to suffer alone.'  
'Ramhorn was the eldest, my dependable, strong son. Then came Steeljaw, silent and stealthy hunter he was. Third came the twins, Eject and Rewind. Fifth was Grandslam, I created him as a little tank. Finally Raindance, my tiny jet son. There was no mission too dangerous that my sons would not try it, perhaps that was what got them killed but I don't know. Ramhorn and Steeljaw took their older brother responsibilities very seriously, I could always count on them to look after their younger brothers when they were unwell and I was needed for a mission. Raindance was the shy one, he didn't like being away from me but when he had to go out, he'd do his mission then come racing back for cuddles and reassurance. Grandslam had courage beyond his size, he wouldn't be intimidated by anyone, no matter their size.'

As he spoke, Blaster activated the hologram generator in his forearm and watched the pictures cycling slowly, so many precious times recorded for posterity. But as he watched them, his pain at the losses only growing worse. Moving closer again, Tank wrapped one arm around Blaster's shoulders and guided him closer. Going willingly, Blaster turned a little and rested his head on Tank's shoulder, fine tremors racing through his frame.  
'Let it go Blaster, it's okay. I won't let you fall, I've got you. Shh, just let it all go. Ain't healthy to hold all that pain and torment inside, ya gotta let go Blaster.'  
'Don't let me fall Tank, please don't let me fall.' Blaster whispered, turning his face away from the agonising images of his sons.  
'Never Blaster, I will never let you fall. You're safe with me, no matter the hell thrown in your direction. You will never stand alone anymore. I'm here, no matter what.' Tank promised, holding tight as Blaster finally cracked, keening into the offered shoulder plate.

Understanding the agony Blaster was dealing with, Tank shifted a little and coaxed Blaster onto his lap, unconcerned by the weight difference as he focused on comforting the distraught pickup. Clinging desperately to the reshaped Super Hornet, Blaster stopped caring about being strong and released his anguish over the loss of his sons.  
'That's it Blaster, let it go. You don't have to be the rock all the time, I've got you. I'll always be here to put you back together.' Tank promised, wrapped around Blaster and mourning with him.  
'Primus, I miss them.' Blaster uttered, hiding his face in Tank's chest.  
'I know Blaster, I miss my family too. But take comfort in knowing that they're somewhere watching over you.' Tank soothed, lightly running his hand over Blaster's back. 'I know they're looking down on you from somewhere up there, so proud of you for finding the strength to move on.'  
'Really?' Blaster asked, vocaliser catching in his grief.  
'Family is like that, believe it.' Tank nodded, tightening his grip on Blaster and rocking slowly. 'Grief heals the living and honours the fallen, never forget that Blaster.'

Dabbing at his optics and shifting off Tank's lap, Blaster looked up at the cloudless sky and sighed sadly, vocaliser catching again as he tried to speak. Trembling faintly, he took a few minutes to regain his composure before trying again.  
'You think Soundwave is up there too? Before the war we were tight, it was love for sure. We raised our sons together, his six and mine playing together. It's so hard to see Rumble and Frenzy being raised by another, I love those two almost as much as my own sons. But they don't remember those happy times, not since Emily went messing around in their systems. I want to hate her but I can't, she saved them from deactivation but at what cost?'  
'I can't answer that Blaster, only you know if Soundwave is watching over you from wherever he went on his passing. If you believe he's there, keeping watch over you and your children, then he's there with his fallen sons and yours. As for Rumble and Frenzy, talk to Speedshot about what you're feeling. Now that things have changed so much for all of us, ask if it would be possible to return some of those memories of their youth and the wonderful times they shared with you and yours. It might not be perfect and it's probably not what you were hoping for in the end but it might be all you get.'  
'You really think he'd go for that. No matter how sweet those two are now, no one will ever forget that they were once Decepticons. Even if Speedshot agreed to the memory alterations, you know Prime will put his foot down and stop it before we even get started. They will always be Decepticons, no one will risk a reversion after all we've strived to build.'  
'Hey, I never said this was going to be easy. Look, you don't need to go to Ratchet, you don't have to talk to anyone but Speedshot. I'll even go with you to ask, a little moral support as you try for something so special. Speedshot cares about the general happiness of the team, he'll do what he can to ease your pain. I won't promise you the results you want but it's worth a shot, ain't it?'  
'I guess so Tank. I just hope he understands that I'm not trying to tear his family apart, I'd be happy with just a taste of what we used to have. I know it would make Eject and Rewind happier too, they don't really understand why Rumble and Frenzy aren't as friendly as they used to be.'  
'c'mon, let's go find Speedshot. We might not have the chance to speak alone with him right now but we can figure out a time when we can get together and talk in private.' Tank grinned, folding his wings back and standing. 'We'll make this work Blaster.' he promised, hauling Blaster to his feet and heading back towards the main part of the base.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Seated comfortably on low concrete structure, Throttle rested his arms on thighs and looked down at the precious bundle between his feet. Lady had been racing around with Lil' Hoss and Sweetheart but after a while, she'd come over and curled up on the ground between his feet, slipping quickly into recharge. Throttle didn't have the spark to wake her so he sat on the wall and guarded her rest, his bronze armour catching the light of the late afternoon sun and scattering it across the base. He found it so peaceful to just sit and watch his daughter sleep, so innocent in her dreams.  
'Still here bro?' Modo commented, wandering over to sit beside Throttle, Lil' Hoss safely tucked up in his arms and deep in recharge.  
'I don't want to wake her, she looks so perfect right now.' Throttle replied, reaching down to lightly touch one black arm and the bronze pin striping now decorating it.  
'Bro, she is perfect. All the younglin's are perfect.' Modo grinned, adjusting the pale pink blanket wrapped around Lil' Hoss.  
'Some of them are little terrors at times but yeah, they are perfect. They are the future of a dying race, you can't get much better than that.' Throttle agreed, glancing at Lil' Hoss for a moment. 'But there's another reason I'm still out here like this.'  
'Oh, what's that bro?' Vinnie asked, settling on Throttle's other side, Sweetheart deep in recharge against his chest.  
'She's decided my foot is a suitable pillow. I move and I'll wake her.' Throttle sighed, right foot pinned under her helm. 'I keep hoping she'll wake on her own but it's looking less likely the further the sun sets.'  
'Here, hold Sweetheart, I'll get Lady.' Vinnie suggested, unwrapping Sweetheart's arms from his neck and handing her over tenderly. Accepting the bright red and white femme carefully, Throttle guided her arms around his neck and cradled her close, quite comfortable with all three of their girls.

Taking a knee in front of his bro, Vinnie gingerly rolled Lady onto her back and scooped her up, bringing her close to his chest holding her as she liked to be held. Getting to his feet, Throttle adjusted his hold on Sweetheart and smiled, glad for the support of his bros. SAU 14 might have taken to this situation easily but for those less familiar with the Autobots and their way of life, the switch was a little less smooth. They were adjusting though, slowly finding their feet in this weird new world they were sharing with so many.  
'Come on bros, better get these three angels inside. It's starting to get cold out.' he suggested, reaching into his subspace and pulling out a second pale pink blanket, wrapping it around Sweetheart's frame gently.  
'Yeah, it's been a big day for them. I'm surprised they didn't drop earlier.' Modo nodded, hooking out a third blanket and helping Vinnie wrap Lady safely, Lil' Hoss supported and comfortable in one big arm.  
'They're still not really interacting with the other kids though. Sure, they smile and that but our girls won't go play with the others. I'm a little worried about that.' Vinnie sighed, shifting Lady against his chest a little.  
'I asked Ratchet about it earlier, he's a little concerned too but assured me it's nothing hugely serious. These three have been close for years, they know each other so well that it's hard for them to let another into their little group. In time they should open up and get to know the other kids but for now, they're desperate for familiarity so they stay as they were before the change.' Throttle explained, understanding exactly what the girls were going through. He still didn't really socialise with the original Autobots or SAU 14, choosing instead the familiarity of his bros.

Heading down one of the high-ceiling ramps, the trio wandered into the central hub and settled on one of the larger couches together, Vinnie and Throttle swapping kids again now that they could make the switch safely. Whimpering softly, Lady snuggled closer to Throttle's chest, head resting on his windshield.  
'shh, sleepy time my little angel.' he soothed, making sure she was settled properly, head against his chest and her delicate body supported across his chest, turned so they were chest to chest.  
'Here you go guys, fresh from the dispenser.' Hot Rod offered, holding out a tray with three cubes on it.  
'Thanks Hot Rod, real kind of you.' Vinnie grinned, shifting Sweetheart down to rest in his lap so he had a hand free for the cube.  
'With so many youngsters around, we all have to help out where we can.' Hot Rod shrugged, waiting for the other pair to grab their cubes before walking away.  
'Bros, I think we've been lookin' at this situation the wrong way. Our girls are never gonna open up to anyone else if we're constantly around cuddlin' and carryin' them. Everyone else is comfortable leavin' their kids under someone else's watch so why aren't we?' Modo shrugged, sipping his cube and relaxing into the soft cushion at his back.  
'What are you thinking bro?' Vinnie asked, peering past Throttle's shoulders to the grey Kenworth.  
'Well, I heard that Prime's headin' back to Wisconsin tomorrow to grab another load of supplies. Colonel Lennox has organised seven trucks and drivers to go with him. Why can't we go help out with the supplies too?' Modo suggested, not sure if his bros would go for the plan.  
'I suppose we should try and help out a bit more. We haven't really done much to help the team since we arrived here. The last really helpful thing we did was haul those trailers from Wisconsin.' Throttle agreed, looking down at Lady again. 'But who do we leave the kids with?'  
'You guys looking for a sitter?' Crash asked, reclining on a beanbag nearby with his daughter.  
'Yeah. Thought we might help out with the next Wisconsin run.' Vinnie nodded, figuring the run would do them the world of good.  
'You've got a world of choice bros but I'd suggest Falcon and Decal, Center Line or Plate. Those four are the best sitters you'll find in 14. Believe it or not, Kup's a great sitter as well, he was watching over quite a group this morning when we were doing formation flights.' Crash advised, running his fingers down Snapper's back. 'Snapper really enjoyed her time with Kup, seems he's got the knack for younglings. Big groups aren't a problem, he managed to keep twelve younglings happy and occupied for three hours this morning. I have no doubt he'd be more than capable of keeping three for a couple of days.'  
'What makes you think it'll be a couple of days for us to make the Wisconsin run?' Throttle asked, shocked by the suggestion of a longer absence.  
'Because unlike us, the human drivers must stop and take a rest break every few hours and sleep at nights. They are not cut out for the all night runs that we are capable of.' Optimus replied, pausing behind the couch, Beast held to his chest so tenderly. 'Did I hear correctly, you are thinking of coming along tomorrow?'  
'That's the plan Prime, unless you don't need the help.'  
'There is still quite a lot of equipment in Wisconsin, Throttle, it will take many more trips to collect it all. I would welcome your assistance on this journey and hopefully others in the future. Have you decided on a sitter?'  
'Crash was just saying that Kup is quite a good sitter, I'm leaning towards leaving Lady with him.'  
'Yeah, I can go for that bro. I'm sure Lil' Hoss will be fine with Kup.'  
'It's not like our girls are hard to care for, they've all got the same routine. So long as Sweetheart is with her sisters, she'll be okay.'  
'I heard my name, what's going on?' Kup asked, wandering into the rec room.  
'We were discussing the Wisconsin journey set for tomorrow. Up for taking care of three little ones for a couple days, old friend?' Optimus grinned, soothing Beast with a gentle hand.  
'Sure, I can handle three younglings for a couple days. Surely not Beast though?'  
'no, Sweetheart, Lady and Lil' Hoss.' Throttle replied, lobbing his empty cube into the nearest waste bin.  
'I'd be honoured and delighted to care for your girls.' Kup nodded, amazed that Throttle and his bros were actually trying to help out around the base now. 'I'll just need a quick rundown on their nightly routine and anything else important.'  
'Would you like to do that now Kup? The girls are just getting their mild second wind.' Modo asked, Lil' Hoss looking around from the safety of her father's arms.  
'Sure, now is fine. Just so you are aware, Hot Rod tends to help with the daytime work, but nighttimes I handle alone.'  
'That's fine Kup. Expect the girls to be quite sad tomorrow, this is their first time away from us since the transitions.' Throttle warned, Lady perking up and resettling against Throttle's chest.  
'Sad little girls I can handle, there were quite a few teary optics this morning.' Kup nodded, watching the three girls as they huddled close to their fathers. 'Shall we?'  
'Might as well, getting close to bed time for these three anyway.' Modo agreed, leading the way down towards their home.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Making the choice to help Blaster with his pain, Speedshot went back through the saved memories from the original rebuild and selected some of the best happy memories Frenzy and Rumble had of their time with Blaster and his boys. Even though they both knew Optimus and Ratchet wouldn't be happy they were taking this risk, Speedshot returned the memories to his sons, the gentle return convincing the pair they this was a normal progression after all they'd been through.

Waking from their stasis naps, the twins sat up slowly and looked around, spotting Eject and Rewind standing nearby, waiting for them to wake up and come play. Bolting off their berths, the younger twins trilled happily, tackling their older half-brothers to the ground and wrestling with them.  
'I'd say that worked well, wouldn't you Blaster?' Speedshot uttered, leaning in the doorway and watching the four.  
'This is more than I was hoping for Speedshot, they're behaving as if nothing has changed.' Blaster agreed, so proud of how the boys were playing together. 'Thanks for doing this.' he added, the pair walking away and leaving the boys to play happily.  
'I'll keep going through the saved memory files and modifying them for return. It's tough going to remove all traces of that darkness so there are minimal risks involved.'  
'I'm just grateful you're willing to try. I know this can't be easy but thank you for doing what you are.'  
'I do what I can for my friends. Now how about you take all four and go have some fun? Harley's off playing with Blue Thunder, Incoming and Road Hammer. This is the first chance we've had in a while to have some adult fun without distractions.'  
'Alright, I can take a hint Speedshot. I'll bring them home around dark.' Blaster nodded, heading back to the berthroom to organise the boys.  
'Many thanks Blaster.' Speedshot grinned, so grateful for a chance to reconnect with his lovers. "Guys, come on home. We've got a kid free afternoon."  
"On the way Shot." Roadbuster replied, burning off his built-up energy somewhere.  
"Be there soon Shot." Leadfoot added, sounding like he'd been sparring with someone.  
"Won't be long Shot." Topspin chuckled, absolutely thrilled to have a kid free day.

Entering the room just as the boys were getting to leave, the four proud fathers took a few moments to say a tender goodbye to their twins before Blaster hustled the four little boys out the door and distracted them with a game. Optics dimming, the quartet enjoyed the silence for a few seconds before settling on the couch and putting on a war movie. Organising four cubes of mid-grade and putting their feet up, they were quite happy to relax and enjoy The Patriot. Sure, they could have spent their adults' only time in the berth, strengthening their bond but they weren't starved for romance in their lives, they were used to being very quiet and catching intimate moments once the boys were asleep. They'd rather spend this private time watching movies they couldn't with the kids around for fear of upsetting their underdeveloped processors.


	18. Growing Doubts

Trying to hide it but knowing his people could see it in the way he held his wings, Blade kept a sharp eye on the new arrivals coming into the base and tried to understand what was going on. They wore N.E.S.T. uniforms but something wasn't quite right about them, they didn't move like soldiers and they didn't seem as comfortable around the Autobots as previous members of the unit. Something was going on, something that was being kept a secret from Blade and he didn't like it. The fact that Optimus didn't know what this was all about only added to Blade's concerns, he was meant to know everything that happened around the base.  
"Speedshot, what do you make of these new personnel?" Blade asked, sending his request around their upgraded comm system.  
"I got a theory but ya won't like it Blade." Speedshot replied, looking up from where he was helping Harley with his skating balance. "These people have the scent of CIA about 'em. Not sure what it means but it can't be good for us."  
"No, especially not when you consider those intercepted calls Black picked up." Blade agreed, looking around slowly. 'Beast, come back here sweetie.'  
'Coming daddy.' Beast chirped, skating away from the infiltrators and coming over to circle him.  
"What do ya suggest we do, Blade?" Speedshot asked, drawing Blade's attention back to their primary concern.  
"I was kind of hoping you had the answers this time, Speedshot" Blade sighed, catching Beast and scooping her up. "All Autobots report to the accom hub! I repeat: all Autobots report to the accom hub!"  
"I'll work out a plan, Blade." Speedshot confirmed, getting up and leading Harley back towards the nearest underground entrance.

Making it seem natural and relaxed, the massed Autobot team headed below ground in dribs and drabs, laughing and joking as the kids skated around them happily. Gathering in the hub, everyone was silent and anxious, picking up on the dark mood hanging over their command team. The younglings were especially clingy, seeking comfort and support from their creators as they waited for news.  
'Alright, Speedshot, what do you make of this situation?' Optimus asked, keeping Beast tucked to his chest with one arm as he draped the other around Blade's back.  
'Ya ain't gonna like this, Prime, but there's only one explanation.' Speedshot replied, gently handing Harley to Topspin and moving to stand in the middle of the group. 'Those new arrivals are CIA agents, I'd recognise their walk anywhere. There's only one reason for the spooks to show up in such big numbers. Add in the communications that Black intercepted and the answer is clear. The CIA is here for us.' Speedshot briefed, pacing around the circle formed by the rest of the Autobots.  
'But why would the humans do this?' Goggles asked, lightly stroking Flicker's back.  
'I don't know, Goggles. My guess, the CIA is working with someone else. Can't say who but this is too bold for the spooks alone.' Speedshot shrugged, looking towards his family sadly.  
'I did nothing.' Spook protested, burrowing closer to Ghost.  
'Not you, sweetie.' Ghost soothed, boosting her up higher and humming softly to calm her fears.  
'What would you advise we do, Speedshot? You are the only one with previous experience with the CIA.' Optimus requested, looking around at his team slowly. 'We cannot just stand by and let this happen. We are the last of our people.'  
'There's only one plan that makes any sense. Can't say it's gonna be a popular idea but I'm open for alternatives.' Speedshot sighed, making another circle within the team. 'By now, the CIA has already taken control of the N.E.S.T files and done their research on all of us. They know our strengths and weaknesses, they know the family connections and the bonds that keep us strong. They know about the transitions and the origins of the younglings. They know everything about us and they'll use that to their advantage.'

Taking a deep intake to calm his systems, Speedshot turned again and looked up at Optimus. He hated to suggest this but it was the only option that ensured their survival. They had to make a bold move or everything they had fought so hard to achieve would be lost. He knew deep down that this would cause tension and possibly a fight but there was no other option.  
'We have to leave this facility. We have no choice, we must split up and scatter to all corners. Break it down into family groups and bonds, make it almost impossible for the CIA to track us all. We have the technology to totally disappear, our medics and mechanics have made certain of that. With the emissions scrambler, spark mask and modified shielding, we can disappear from all scanners and sensors but we can't stay together. We must break up and go our separate ways. It's the only way to protect the next generation.' Speedshot directed, turning around again and throwing his arms wide. 'We run or we watch the last generation of Cybertronians destroyed.'  
'Even if we run, there's no promise that the younglings will be safe.' Ironhide protested, holding Ratchet and Nimrah closer to his chest.  
'Ironhide, you need to have faith in the upgrades we installed. There's a reason we never recorded anything about the scramblers, masks and shielding, we were concerned about such tech falling into the wrong hands. This is exactly why we kept it a secret, the CIA cannot possibly know about it and thus, we have an advantage.' Windvest insisted, cradling Low Rider to his chest.  
'But where will we go?' Bumblebee asked, cuddling Racer as he looked at Rictor.  
'Anywhere but here, Bee. Just in case, stay in America but scatter as far as possible. We have no idea what sort of trouble this might cause so it would be wise to stay in radio contact but we switch to the tertiary backup frequencies.' Optimus instructed, getting with Speedshot's plan.  
'Scan new alt modes, keep the CIA guessing about what you look like. Make the most of your holoforms, they are your best chance of surviving in the human world. Emily left hundreds of bank accounts, hidden in places that only we can find so we would never have to worry about financial support. Now is the time to use those gifts.' Blade added, wrapping one wing around Optimus' back. 'Keep your channels clear, we will be in contact. Come on Optimus, we need to grab a few things before we leave.'  
'Modo, Vinnie, I know a place we can go. The girls will be safe and the CIA won't be able to find us. You've trusted me this far, trust me with this.' Throttle nodded, looking down at Lady as she pressed against his leg.  
'We're with ya, bro.' Vinnie replied, scooping Sweetheart up and resting one hand on Modo's shoulder. 'We're a team, ain't right to mess with that.'  
'Lead on bro, we're with ya 'til the end.' Modo agreed, taking Lil' Hoss by the hand and wrapping his free arm around Vinnie's back.

Clearing his intakes to draw attention, Slash picked Striper up as he turned to look at the two newest members of the massed team. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, he just wasn't sure about letting them go into the wider country without a trusted escort to keep them under control. They had already had several incidents with Crosshairs and Drift wasn't exactly an angel among the troops either. But at least Drift respected authority and pulled his head in when some of the other officers gave him an order. Crosshairs refused to accept orders from anyone but Optimus, making it that much harder to keep him in line.  
'Uh, so who is gonna keep these two under control?' Slash asked, pointing across the gathering to the newest members of the team.  
'I'll take Drift. I can tolerate him and know my medical oath won't be in danger during this mess.' Revs offered, tucking Roars closer to his side. 'Unless you object, Drift.'  
'This partnership will suit me, Revs.' Drift nodded, making his way through the group to stand with Revs and Roars.  
'Don't look at me, I've already got a family to think about.' Tank shrugged, hoisting Eject and Rewind up as Blaster set Darlin' on his hip.  
'I'll escort Crosshairs this time. He's already learned not to annoy this fighter.' Sidewinder declared, holding Smash close as he came around to rest a heavy hand on Crosshairs' shoulder.  
'Do we have to dad?' Smash asked, looking up at her father with a frown. 'He smells funny.'

For a moment there was silence before just about everyone cracked up laughing at Smash's comment. Crosshairs just stared at Smash, mouth half open but he had no witty comeback to her words. Sweeping his much loved daughter up, Sidewinder cuddled her close and stroked her help lightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
'That's the new car smell, sweetie. It'll fade once he gets dirty.' Sidewinder chuckled, turning his gaze to Crosshairs. 'I don't believe it, he's speechless.'  
'Ah, blow it out ya exhaust.' Crosshairs scowled, his coat pulled in close to his legs. 'I washed up last night.'  
'You still smell new to Earth. We'll soon change that once we head out.' Sidewinder grinned, guiding him out of the gathering. 'Come on, we'd best grab the essentials and figure out a plan.'  
'Sidewinder's got the plan. Grab your gear and start heading out. We can't all leave at once, that's bound to draw attention.' Speedshot called, turning to his family.  
'Spread it over a week, we'll run interference.' Topspin insisted, looking down at their younglings. 'Don't say it Shot, we're the best chance to keep this under wraps.'  
'What about Wheelie and Brains?' Odd Ball asked, reaching out to welcome the two microbots onto his hand.  
'We'll take them.' Terrence replied, reaching out to collect the pair. 'Unlike most, we won't go looking for trouble.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Taking advantage of a black spot in the security net, Hound and Mirage were first to make a break for freedom, engines barely idly as they slipped through the unlocked gate and disappeared into the darkness. Only once they were beyond visual range did they switch on their lights and meld with the late night traffic.  
"Where will we go, Hound?" Mirage asked, content to tuck in behind his bigger and stronger bondmate. "How will we manage this?"  
"Shhh, stop worryin' sweetspark. I got a plan, we'll be okay." Hound soothed, sending love and comfort over their bond. "We're in for a long drive, all the way to California. I found a place where it ain't strange to see a military truck and a sports car parked side by side."  
"You mean a Hummer and a sports car, right?" Mirage pushed, wary of Hound's word choice.  
"Nah, we're gonna make a detour to a place where I can scan somethin' better. The Hummer is nice but it's a little too obvious for this one." Hound explained, swinging out to block another driver from getting too close to Mirage. "Trust me, love, I'll keep us both safe."  
"Well, I guess we should use this time to redesign our holoforms in readiness." Mirage sighed, settling in for the long drive.  
"Yeah, I guess we should. I was thinking of a husband and wife but I'm not fussed which I end up with." Hound agreed, already plotting out some of the design elements he wanted.  
"I'll take the female role, most human females are far more slender and curvaceous than the men." Mirage offered, bringing up a blank female image and considering how he wanted to look this time around.  
"Yeah, yeah, I know this armour makes me look fat." Hound laughed, their bond singing with joy as they continued ever west. "But the new mode I've been considering will make it even worse."  
"I'm not sure I want to know." Mirage sighed, diverting part of his attention to the design but he was still constantly on alert for trouble.

Trying to capture the elegance and beauty of his chosen vehicle mode in this new holoform, Mirage pulled up images of what humans considered to be the pinnacle of glamour in the female form but quickly erased those images from his memory banks. He wanted curves, not those dangerously underweight stick figures. Starting over, he searched for images of women that fit a scientific definition of beauty, finding symmetry and grace in the candid images he was able to collect. Satisfied now that he had a proper understanding of human beauty and elegance, he started to design his holoform.

Long shapely legs leading up to graceful hips and a toned abdomen. He played around with the chest size a little bit, trying to find the perfect fit before finally settling on something a little smaller than would be considered average for a woman of 5'9. Gleaming bright blue eyes highlighted with just a touch of eye shadow and subtle use of eyeliner, luscious red lips revealed perfect white teeth and a tiny diamond stud in her pert nose added just the hint of attitude Mirage wanted for this form. High cheeks with just a hint of blush and mirage settled on emeralds in his ears to add another touch of sparkle. Looking through the images again, Mirage finally decided on red hair, sending it rippling down her back in glorious waves.

Putting his reference images away in a back corner of his hard drives, Mirage now turned his attention to finding his new figure a suitable wardrobe. Plunging back into the internet, he searched through dozens of various clothing websites, saving references for all the styles and shapes that he liked. He didn't let cost worry him, he didn't actually need to purchase anything to create the look he wanted for his lady.

Testing various outfits and saving quite a few for the future, he picking out a strapless red dress and trimmed it back to knee length instead of having it drag on the floor. Adding a pair of black stiletto heels with small gems in lines over the straps and over the heel itself, he draped a sparkling gold chain around her neck with two delicate hearts hanging from it and positioned a simple rose gold band on her wedding finger.  
"How are you coming along, Hound?" Mirage asked, taking another look at his new figure and giving her a simple white jacket to cover her shoulder and upper arms.  
"Almost finished. Just can't pick a name for him." Hound replied, sounding just a little bit distracted. "Henry, Harvey or Hank?"  
"Hmmm, I'll let you know after I see what you've got." Mirage chuckled, projecting his new form into his driver's seat. "I'm already settled on Ruby for my holoform."  
"Ruby Jones, I like it." Hound noted, sending another flush of love through the bond. "Alright, I'm reasonably happy with how he looks. Let me know what you think."  
"Send him to my passenger seat, I'm getting used to driving myself again." Mirage guided, splitting his focus again and concentrating on Hound's form. "I'll send Ruby to your passenger seat so you can see your wife."

Following Mirage's idea, Hound set his holoform in the driver's seat and looked him over as he compared his new form to what the internet said was standard for men of his simulated age and previous employment. Muscle bound with just a hint of fat around his waist, battle scarred and deeply tanned, he was a man who had worked hard his entire life. He wore his scruffy black hair longer than most males he had dealt with, keeping it under control with a sweat-stained camouflage bandana to reveal dazzling blue eyes. With a full beard and a cigarette stuck in one corner of his mouth, he looked at home behind the wheel. He'd gone for a simple outfit, worn and stained blue jeans tucked into filthy brown work boots matched with a green t-shirt with the sleeves ripped out. On his right bicep, he had a red and green heart tattoo with H R standing out in cursive black letters. Short without looking out of proportion, he was concerned that he might look similar to Ironhide but there was nothing he could do about that. He wasn't what could be considered handsome but he hoped Mirage would approve.  
"Hank, definitely Hank." Mirage insisted, drawing Hound's attention to the glamorous young woman sitting beside him. "Well, what do you think?"  
'I think I look like a hobo.' Hank replied, readjusting to speaking with human vocal cords and a highly restricted range of sounds. 'You look incredible, you could work for a modelling company and I look like I just rolled out of a dumpster.'  
'I think you look perfect, Hank.' Ruby purred, reaching out to take one calloused hand lightly so she could press a loving kiss to his knuckles. 'You've always been my strong, handsome protector. I don't care what you look like, I fell in love with the gentle, kind spark you hide beneath this armour. Don't change anything, I love you just like this, Hank.'  
'You mean that?' Hank asked, relaxing a little more and settling in for the drive.  
'With all my heart and soul, beloved.' Ruby nodded, sliding over so she could snuggle against Hank's side happily.  
'Right back 'atcha, angel.' Hank chuckled, hugging her close and kissing her hair. 'We're gonna be okay, whatever happens, we'll be okay.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Over the next week, almost all of the designated Autobots teams made their escape from the N.E.S.T base and disappeared into the distance. It came down to just four teams out of the original 31, spending a few precious moments together before heading out and disappearing. Optimus had made the tough choice to abandon his trailer, moving it to the darkened, forgotten corner of their underground home and taking a few key pieces of equipment from it before locking it securely and leaving it to await his return.

Not sure when they would next be able to hold each other close like this, Blade and Slash took a few minutes to reassure each other that they would stay safe and protect their loved ones until it was safe to reunite. It was hard to face their separation, they had been so close since Slash was born. They had agreed that it was best to go their separate ways this time, splitting their officers to make it just that little bit harder to find everyone.  
'I won't be far away, bro. If you need me for anything, just call and I'll be there. I mean it bro, you only need to give me the word and I'll be there.' Slash insisted, running a calming hand over one wing lightly.  
'I know, Slash. I promise I'll call if we need any help but you need to focus on protecting your little team. Look after your team, they're counting on you to keep them all safe. Protect the younglings, they are our future.' Blade nodded, sending his love and encouragement over their familial bond. "Go now, before I break and beg you to stay."  
"I'll miss you so much, bro." Slash whispered, the bond humming between them. 'Ride free, bro, until all are one.'

Making their own final preparations, Throttle met Optimus' gaze and nodded slowly as he tucked a few precious possessions into subspace and reaching out to take Lady by the hand. He was still concerned about this plan but he had to project an aura of confidence and see his family through this tough time.  
'We all believe in you, Throttle. You kept your team safe through greater trials than this.' Optimus offered, reaching out to rest one hand on Throttle's shoulder in support.  
'Yeah, but I never had to worry about dragging younglings into the fight. I'm not sure I can handle being a father and a soldier.' Throttle sighed, trying to relax but he was afraid of failing his bros and their kids.  
'All we can do is our best, my friend. The point of this is to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary. We will find a solution to this and remove the CIA from our lives but to do that, we must first survive.' Optimus nodded, smiling softly as Beast rolled over to him and hugged his leg. 'We will leave soon, little one. Have you said your goodbyes to the other kids?'  
'uh-ha.' she nodded, releasing him and gliding over to hug Lady. 'I'll miss you, Lady.'  
'I'll miss you too Beast.' Lady replied, letting go of Throttle to hug her dear friend.  
'We'll all miss you so much.' Hoss added, skating around to join the hug.  
'Yeah, what she said.' Sweetheart nodded, also joining the group hug. 'Be safe out there, okay? We can look out for each other but you're alone.'  
'I'm never alone, my dads will keep me safe. Besides, I led my brothers and sisters through countless battles before the transition, I can handle myself in a fight.' Beast chuckled, wrapping her arms around Hoss and Sweetheart. 'Watch out for each other, you're so strong when you run together. Keep your audios sharp and pay attention, we have no way of knowing how serious this is until it's too late.'  
'Beast, I thought we agreed that you would stop running ops with your cousins.' Optimus chuckled, sinking down to her level.  
'Just covering the bases daddy.' Beast giggled, turning to look as Slash and his team left the base at a jog. 'We might be young compared to you but combat is ingrained in us. We've been fighting for many years, a change in stance doesn't erase those skills.'  
'Come on scamp, time to go. Speedshot's gonna create a diversion, giving us time to make our move. Throttle, take your team out the front gate. We'll head out through the black hole.' Blade briefed, coming over and sinking to one knee. 'Once they're finished causing trouble, they'll make their escape. Slash and his team are already out of range.'  
'No point stalling then. Come on Lady, time to go.' Throttle sighed, reaching out for his daughter.   
"Get moving, all of ya! We can't keep these assholes distracted forever!" Speedshot roared, the squealing of tires coming over the comm.  
'We're on the move, Speedshot.' Optimus confirmed, transforming and revving his engine. "Are you coming with me or your mother, Beast?"  
'I'll go with you, daddy. Flight makes me queasy.' Beast replied, climbing up onto Optimus' back and transforming.

Snuggling up against the back of Optimus' cab, Beast settled lower on her shocks and rumbled her engine happily as Optimus secured her with his air hoses and a couple of chains. Rocking on his shocks to make sure she was secure, Optimus headed for the nearest exit ramp and kept his scanners on Blade as he jogged along behind. Making use of another new trick in his arsenal, Optimus silenced his engine and snuck out of the base without alerting anyone. Transforming on the run, Blade launched into the sky and raced out of sight as Optimus headed for the rear exit and their planned hiding spot.

Transforming around their daughters to keep them safe, the last mechs to leave the base retuned their engines to perfectly match before making their way out of the underground complex and across the tarmac. Staying in close formation, they pushed through the smoke Speedshot and his family were throwing out and carefully avoided Rumble before charging out the front gates and hitting the bitumen. Stringing out in a line, they headed towards Ohio and a special arrangement with an old friend of Charley-girl.  
"Are you sure about this, bro?" Modo asked, keeping a sharp watch for any trouble. "We don't know this guy."  
"We don't need to know him, Charley-girl left something with Lady as an insurance policy." Throttle chuckled, plotting several alternative routes just in case. "This is why I was so adamant about the holoforms, they match the descriptions Charley left with her friend."  
"Got a backup plan?" Vinnie queried, so much more mature now that he had a daughter to worry about. "I don't want to risk Sweetheart on a hunch."  
"Already contacted Charley's contact. He's all too willing to hide all six of us for as long as is needed." Throttle confirmed, smiling internally at the feeling of his daughter curled up in him.  
"Are you sure he's clean?" Vinnie pushed, needing to be absolutely sure about this idea.  
"I asked Fang to do some digging. He pulled up everything on this guy, going right back to his birth certificate. He has no contact with any government agencies, no family connections with any such agencies and lost no family or other friends in Chicago. He's only connection to anything dealing with the Autobots is the death of Charlene Davidson. He's clean, not even a parking ticket to his name. He's totally clean and has no reason to hate us, but I'm not about to make any mistakes. We avoid revealing anything to this James Harrison, I don't want to draw any unwanted attention." Throttle briefed, still searching out other options just in case this plan with James didn't work out.

Back at base, Speedshot caught the signal from the last teams and chuckled as he spun through a super fast 360 and raced back towards his bondmates. Giving them the signal to leave, he swung around again, throwing gravel over another CIA team and distracting them from realising the three motorbikes were heading towards the main gate. Continuing to kick up debris and fill the air with smoke, Speedshot gathered his lovers and made a break for the gate, leaving the CIA totally confused and clueless about where to start looking for the elusive Autobots.


	19. Taking Cover

Trying not to react to the dozens of eyes now watching them, Decal pulled into the trailer park and headed for their assigned spot among dozens of other fifth wheelers and RVs. Slipping into place with pinpoint accuracy, he cut his engine and used the last few milliseconds of noise to cover a digital yawn. The imitated shudder of the final shut down felt good, allowing him to stretch out a few kinked wires and relax at last.  
"Remind me again why we agreed to this." Decal groused, keeping a sharp watch for threats.  
"Because it was the best way to disappear from CIA radar." Falcon chuckled, sending love over their bond. "No one looks at a family on holiday."  
"Doesn't mean we have to like it." Armageddon added, getting settled in her hiding spot and trying to relax but she was clearly agitated.  
"I'm not thrilled about this either, but what other choice do we have?" Combat sighed, stretching out her suspension quickly.

Well aware of everyone watching them, Deanne Sharpe opened the door and jumped out of the dusty Ford F-450 she called her own and patted the side as she closed the door. An average height, petite woman in her forties, she hardly looked like a threat but anyone who had seen her in action knew better than to judge her by her size. With flaming red hair pulled back with a purple ribbon and a mistrustful look in her blue-grey eyes, she was a woman who took no shit from anyone and protected her family with a single-minded determination.

Climbing out the other side, Falcon Sharpe instinctively checked the pistol secure on his belt as he closed the door. Impressively tall, coming in just shy of seven feet and broad across the shoulders, Falcon was the total opposite of his beloved wife. Running one hand through his close cropped brown hair; he slipped his sunglasses off and climbed up into the truck bed to unhook their fifth wheeler.

Next out of the heavy duty pickup, Amy Sharpe was almost as intimidating as her father. Tall for a woman and heavyset without being fat, she flaunted her muscles proudly and kept her soft red curls cut short for ease. Stopping beside their fifth wheeler, Amy grabbed the winder for the legs and started lowering them. At just 17, she stood head and shoulders over her brother and had a solid plan for her life. She had already submitted her application to the Marine Corps and was looking forward to making it to boot camp next year.

Last out of the truck, little Connor Sharpe tucked his game in his pocket and moved to help his mother unfold the stairs and get everything ready for the evening. Shorter than average and skinny for his age, Connor knew he would never be as strong as his sister but that didn't bother him much. He had inherited Deanne's love of books and continually hungered for new things to learn and understand. Bright blues eyes never missed a thing and he proudly wore his reddish-brown hair long and braided.

Putting the blocks in place and making sure the legs were properly secure, Amy came around to join her father at the back of their pickup and together they pushed the mighty vehicle forward just enough to clear the hitch.  
'Dad, can we have pizza for dinner tonight?' Amy asked, taking another step forward.  
'I think that can be arranged.' Falcon nodded, leaning over a little. 'Hey De, you okay with pizza for dinner?'  
'Sounds great, Falcon.' Deanne replied, unlocking the door and stepping inside.  
'With olives and anchovies?' Connor asked, ducking back as the slide out sections started to expand smoothly.  
'Only on your half Connor.' Falcon grinned, satisfied with the new position of their pickup.  
'You are disgusting Connor.' Amy added, heading around to grab the bags from the rear section of the cab. 'Seriously, olives and anchovies?'  
'I like strong flavours.' Connor shrugged, catching his bag and heading into the trailer.  
'Amy, be nice. He doesn't say anything about your Tabasco obsession.' Falcon chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. 'He likes salty flavours and you go crazy for spicy, it's all good.'

Grabbing the remaining bags from the bed, Falcon headed for the door and passed Deanne hers before taking a quick look around. People were still staring at them but Falcon didn't really worry about any of them. No one seemed suspicious, scanners hadn't picked up on any calls to the CIA or local police so Falcon felt safe to relax and enjoy this holiday with his family as they waited for news from the rest of the team.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Settling into a new life in Kansas, the Gibson family got along with all their neighbours except old Mrs Partridge at number 51. She was always sticking her nose in and saying hurtful things because she didn't agree with the way the Gibson's were living. No one else in the street cared that Saul and Kenneth shared one two-story house with their wives and four children. They weren't breaking any local, state or federal laws but Mrs Partridge just wouldn't accept it. As far as she was concerned, it was immoral and against God's word. Even what the Gibson's had calmly informed her that they were Jewish, she continued to leave Christian pamphlets in their mailbox and ask members of her congregation to visit the family to help them see the error of their ways. The Gibson's took it with a quiet grace, destroying the pamphlets and chasing away the congregation without giving them a chance to even try to convert the family. They were perfectly happy to be Jewish and no amount of badgering would make them change their minds.

It all came to a head about a month after they moved in, Mrs Partridge finally managed to push the usually level-headed family one step too far. It started innocently enough but after everything, she'd gone too far. Heather had come out of the house to give Kenneth a kiss before he left to run some errands and Partridge had seen them. Suddenly they were both soaking wet and spun to see her holding a hose and spraying them down.  
'Keep your disgusting false marriage inside!' she cried, lowering the hose at last.  
'That's it, I've had enough of that old bat!' Kenneth growled, flicking his blonde hair out of his eyes. "Chain, reckon you can hack into Partridge's car systems?"  
"Already done, bro. I've also got access to her home security network and her internet connection along with a few other interesting toys." Chain replied, still hidden inside the garage for now. "What do you want me to do?"  
"Make her life miserable." Hammer directed, heading inside with her husband. 'Everyone stays inside for now. That old bat next door just turned the hose on us for kissing in the driveway.'  
'I'll get you both a towel.' Colleen offered, hurrying towards the laundry to grab some towels for the dripping couple.  
'Does that mean we can't go out in the backyard?' Stephanie asked, looking up from the book she was reading.  
'Sorry sweetie, not right now.' Saul replied, coming downstairs and tossing his brother a second towel. 'We really need to do something about that woman.'  
"In three…two…one." Chain counted down as Colleen returned with two big towels.

Everyone jumped at the almighty scream from number 51 but Saul was the first to move, sprinting out the door and off the porch. Turning to look over the fence, he had to fight to keep the smirk off his face. Chain had managed to turn on every sprinkler around Mrs Partridge's garden and there she was, soaking wet and absolutely shocked. Forcing the grin off his face, he turned and headed back inside to pull his beloved into his arms.  
"Perfectly done, Chain. She's absolutely drenched." Scorpion chuckled, flooding their bond with love and adoration.  
"That's just the first course. I'll make her miserable and no one will ever realise it was us." Chain replied, totally relaxed as he settled lower on his shocks and broke the connection with the irrigation system next door.  
"Dad, will we ever get rid of her scrutiny?" Honda asked, moving closer to Kawasaki's body in the garage.  
"Soon sweetie, I promise." Kawasaki promised, sending her a comforting hum and wishing he could hold her close. "Linx, see what you can find about this woman."  
"Already on it dad." Lynx replied, leaning against Chain's true form lightly.

No one ever figured out just how the FBI found out that one of their most wanted targets was living in this peaceful suburban street. All anyone knew for certain was that the FBI showed up in force about a month after the infamous sprinkler incident and arrested Mrs Partridge for a long list of offences. Everyone watched from the safety of their homes as she was escorted away in handcuffs and placed in the back of an unmarked black SUV.

Coming together once again, the street threw a party, claiming it was a joint birthday for several children living in the street but everyone knew it was really to celebrate the removal of Mrs Partridge from all their lives. Her name was never mentioned but they all knew that life would be so much better without her to cause trouble for them all.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Having managed to figure out how to use one body to support two holoforms, Jamie and Paige White shared a smile as they parked their 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo and climbed out, Jamie hurrying around to help his wife out of the passenger seat. Straightening his suit and helping her with her skirt, Jamie offered his arm and proudly escorted her towards the doors of their chosen venue. They'd picked a place that was popular but not too popular, the crowds were minimal and the music was kept low enough for casual conversation. They also offered haute cuisine and had plenty of seating.

Holding her head high, Paige knew most of the men in the building were staring at her, their greedy eyes tracing her curves and wishing they were Jamie. Paige loved this dress, the soft pastel pink cloth highlighting her tan without making her appear washed out. Hugging every curve to her hips, it dropped smoothly to the floor in two layers. Dropping for the thin leather belt she wore at her waist, a darker pink lace rippled and swirled as she walked. The same lace covered her shoulders and arms, except for two panels running along the inside of her arms. She also wore the same lace in her hair, a delicate bow holding a mountain of soft blonde waves up off her neck.

Sapphire eyes scanned the room slowly before she turned her full attention back to Jamie and allowed him to slide the darker pink stole from her shoulders gently. This was handed to the attendant at the coat check, along with his long coat. Checking her makeup quickly, Paige slipped her arm through Jamie's and let him lead her towards the dance floor.  
'They're playing our song, amore.' Jamie uttered, taking her clutch and tucking it safely inside his jacket. 'May I have this dance?'  
'Nothing would make me happier, dearest.' Paige replied, following him onto the dance floor and resting one hand on Jamie's shoulder lightly.

If our love was a fairy tale  
I would charge in and rescue you  
On a yacht baby we would sail  
To an island where we'd say I do

And if we had babies they would look like you  
It'd be so beautiful if that came true  
You don't even know how very special you are

You leave me breathless  
You're everything good in my life  
You leave me breathless  
I still can't believe that you're mine  
You just walked out of one of my dreams  
So beautiful you're leaving me  
Breathless

Cradling Paige to him with such tenderness, Jamie turned her slowly to the beat of the sweet song. He could feel the jealous eyes on him, scanning his muscles and hating Paige for being in his arms. Black hair combed back to reveal blue-green eyes and an easy smile, he knew he looked good in his custom tailored tuxedo but he had no interest in anyone else. He had his soul mate and no one else could hope to compare.  
"I love you Jazz." Prowl whispered, surrounding Jazz with his unending love.  
"I love ya too Prowl." Jazz replied, tugging Paige closer to his chest.  
"There's something I need to tell you, Jazz." Prowl uttered, relaxing into Jamie's arms and draping her arms around his neck.  
"I'm listenin' love. What's on ya processor?" Jazz asked, sending comfort over the bond. "I'm here for ya, always and forever."  
"I'm sparked, Jazz. We're going to be parents." Prowl flooded their bond with excitement and joy, finally unmasking the second spark beat beside his own.  
"I'm gonna be a dad? I'm actually gonna be a dad?" Jazz asked, absolutely stunned by the revelation. "When did this happen?"  
"Our last night on base." Prowl chuckled, letting his holoform lean into Jamie a little more. "I wanted to get past the danger period before I told you."  
"I can't believe I'm gonna be a dad." Jazz whispered, echoing Prowl's excitement and joy with his own. "But we'll need to contact someone else to help us build the body."  
"Already done. I asked Wheelie and Revs to make it, just in case something happened while the team was scattered. Revs also gave me all the equipment needed to transfer our offspring should the team not be reunited when his time comes." Prowl replied, always two steps ahead of Jazz when it came to planning.  
"Guess I'd better read up on that." Jazz chuckled, looking forward to raising his son. "Ya made the right choice on a mechling, Prowler."  
"There are plenty of femmes around, the mechlings are in a minority again." Prowl remarked, listening to the soft thrum of the tiny spark beside his own. "I have a feeling he will be a strong one when he grows up."

Drawing apart as the song ended, Jamie led Paige off the dance floor and into the attached restaurant for a celebratory meal and one last glass of Champaign. Prowl had already decided that he would make his female holoform show signs of pregnancy too, adding another element to their cover story.

#~#+^*^+#~#

'I swear to Primus, if you don't knock that off I will offline you.' Sidewinder growled, peering out into the lengthening shadows. 'Either get inside or get down on ya wheels.'  
'Ya got no right ta give me orders.' Crosshairs spat back, glaring back at Sidewinder inside the rickety barn they were calling home.  
'Got nothin' to do with rights. You're endangerin' my daughter.' Sidewinder countered, emerging from the barn and getting right into Crosshairs' face. 'Now either start drivin' or get under cover! The next satellite is due in one minute. That's just the American satellites, I don't know about any others.'

Turning and ducking back into the barn, Sidewinder sat beside the soft nest he had built so Smash had a comfortable place to recharge. Reaching out, he carefully pulled the heavy canvas blanket over her and gently stroked her helm to soothe her into a deeper recharge. Looking up sharply, he shot Crosshairs a warning look as he ducked into the barn and sunk down in the dirt to wait for the satellite to pass over.  
'I get that you don't like this, Crosshairs. I don't much care for it either but it's for the best.' Sidewinder sighed, most of his attention on his little girl. 'We are the caretakers for a new generation, whether we like it or not.'  
'We could have squashed the CIA problem, but instead we're runnin' like cowards.' Crosshairs scoffed, rearranging his coat around his hips.  
'No, we're buying time for the experts it gather the information they need. We can't end this threat to our people without knowing why this is happening.' Sidewinder replied, continuing to trace soft patterns over Smash's helm. 'Find some patience or hit the road. I don't need you but its becomin' clear that you need a guide.'  
'I don't need a damned guide.' Crosshairs snarled, head snapping around so he could glare at Sidewinder again.  
'Then how are you going to explain those four parking tickets?' Sidewinder asked, lifting one orbital ridge smoothly. 'You know Prime's gonna have your plating for that.'

Deeming it safe again, Crosshairs crawled out of the barn and stood, fists clenched and coattails hugging his legs as he listened to Sidewinder following him outside. Moving away from the barn in an attempt to avoid disturbing Smash, Crosshairs turned slowly and lifted his gaze a little so he could meet the ice blue of Sidewinder's frustrated optics.  
'I don' care who gave the order, I can't just sit here and do nothin'. I'm a soldier, I'm damned good at what I do but I can't do a Primus damned thing out here.' Crosshairs growled, itching to get back at the bastards who had chased him from his home.  
'You think you're the only one who wants payback? I've had to stand by and watch helplessly as two homeworlds were destroyed and there wasn't a fragging thing I could do about it. I might be Cybertronian now but I was born of flesh and fur on Mars. I lived nearly thirty years in flesh and fur and witnessed the downfall of the Martian mice! I was there when Cybertron was destroyed, I looked up and saw it shatter in the sky over Chicago! I made the choice to become Cybertronian because I knew there was no hope left for the Martian people and now I stand witness to the greatest threat to my people all over again.' Sidewinder raged, keeping his voice down but his anger was unmistakeable. 'So don't talk to me about not being able to do anything, I was there! I could only watch as some of our best were cut down without mercy. Jazz, torn apart by Megatron! Optimus, cut down by a massed Decepticon force! Ironhide, shot in the back by a supposed friend!'

Neither could say who moved first, they just knew that one minute they had been glaring at each other and in the next second blows were being exchanged. Sweeping his wings back to avoid a reaching hand, Sidewinder slammed his fist into Crosshairs' chest and sent him back a few steps. Launching back into the fight, Crosshairs tackled Sidewinder but the bigger mech refused to fall, instead grabbing Crosshairs by the scruff and tossing him aside. Rolling back to his feet, Crosshairs remained undaunted, charging in again and trying to land a few solid hits of his own.

Tearing up the ground as they grappled, the brawling duo paid little attention to their surroundings, far too caught up in the emotions of the fight. Both were running on adrenaline and anger, tempers frayed after six months living in a rickety old barn in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. The only thing the building did was break up their images whenever a satellite went overhead. It did nothing against wind, rain or snow and they were both fed up with the primitive conditions. They wanted this CIA mess over but they were powerless to act against anyone but themselves.

Crashing together and tumbling across the ground, Sidewinder got the upper hand again and cocked his fist back but Crosshairs was faster, planting both feet in Sidewinder's abdomen and kicking him hard. He didn't fully dislodge the larger mech but he got enough room to wriggle free and regain his feet. Moving in quickly, he curled one arm around Sidewinder's throat from behind and held on for life as the reformed fighter tried to throw him off.  
'Ya think I don' know about the losses? Ya think I didn't hear about Cybertron bein' destroyed? Ya never even knew what it was like back home, ya ain't a real Autobot. Ya just some freak playin' at being a soldier.' Crosshairs hissed, tightening his grip and digging his knees into Sidewinder's hips. 'Ya nothin', nothin' at all.'  
'That's what you think.' Sidewinder snarled, dropping backwards and crushing Crosshairs into the dirt. 'Boy, I'm gonna teach you a new meaning of pain.'  
'Daddy!' Smash cried, knocking the fight out of Sidewinder and making him turn his back on the livid Corvette beside him.  
'I'm okay baby girl.' Sidewinder confirmed, moving towards her to reassure her that everything was under control. 'Just a difference of opinion.'

Flipping over and charging Sidewinder again, Crosshairs kicking off and wrapped his arm around Sidewinder's throat again, knocking him off balance and driving him into the dirt. Pressing one hand to the back of Sidewinder's neck, Crosshairs started to apply dangerous levels of pressure until a tire violently rammed into his head and threw him sideways. Trying to regain his balance, he didn't realise he'd done anything wrong until he was suddenly yanked off the ground and thrown towards the barn. Curling up to protect vital systems, he caught sight of Smash lying crumpled on the ground before he smashed into the wall of the barn and the ceiling fell onto him.

The fight totally forgotten, Sidewinder hurried to his daughter and dropped to his knees beside her. Reaching out, he tenderly rolled her over and flinched when she screamed in agony when he moved her. Cursing the darkness but thankful for his enhanced optics, he scanned her slowly and felt his spark sink when he saw the severe fracture of her left thigh strut.  
'Shhh, daddy's got you baby girl. I know it hurts, daddy will make it better.' Sidewinder soothed, carefully lifting her and trying not to cry as she wailed even louder. 'Hang on baby girl, daddy will make it better.'

Clawing his way out of the debris, Crosshairs collapsed on the ground and groaned as dozens of nerve relays reminded him why it wasn't smart to pick a fight with the aerial wing of the Autobots. He just wasn't strong enough to handle them, only Optimus and Ironhide could and maybe Ratchet when he was in an especially bad mood.  
'It hurts so much, daddy.' Smash whimpered, her voice carrying in the stillness now that the fight was over.  
'I know baby girl, I know. Here, this should make you feel a little better.' Sidewinder replied, his broad wings preventing Crosshairs from seeing anything. 'That's it, just relax and let daddy take care of you.'

Staggering to his feet, Crosshairs approached Sidewinder warily but ended up back-pedalling and falling on his ass when Sidewinder flipped out a missile launcher and aimed at him without looking away from his daughter.  
'Haven't you done enough? You broke her leg.' Sidewinder growled, getting to his feet. 'And managed to trash the only shelter we had.'  
'You're the one who threw me at the barn.' Crosshairs replied, getting up again and brushing off the dirt.  
'Daddy, stop it.' Smash protested, trying to get closer to him. 'It still hurts daddy.'  
'I'm trying baby girl, I'm doing my best for you.' Sidewinder soothed, tucking her closer and bowing his head. 'I'd take all your pain away if I could, baby girl but I can't.'

Making a choice and knowing it was going to hurt like slag, Crosshairs pulled an old electroknife from under his coat and checked it was still as sharp as always and fully charged. Sinking to one knee, he activated the blade and sunk it into the responsive metal of his coat. Gritting his dentaplates to hold back a pained cry and tightening his grip against the energon splashing his hands, he cut two strips from each side before dropping the knife.  
'Winder.' he called, clutching the dripping strips in one hand as he used the other to brace himself from an ugly fall.  
'What…' Sidewinder started, turning around slowly. 'What the kriff have you done?'  
'Repair nanites…faster than…Shift.' Crosshairs groaned, collapsing into the dirt heavily.

Swearing up a storm mentally, Sidewinder hurried across to the downed mech without jarring his daughter and sunk to his knees again. Easing her down, he plucked the still dripping strips from Crosshairs' limp hand and guided some of the energon onto her fracture before wrapping the strips firmly around her leg. Smash cried out with every little touch and movement, fingers digging into Sidewinder's knee but he couldn't do anything more for her pain. He just hoped that these strips could help her, he hated to see his little angel in such pain.

Digging out a nest of sorts for her, Sidewinder did his best to make Smash comfortable and stroked her helm lightly as she calmed down and relaxed into the hole he'd dug. Sidewinder didn't exactly know how it worked but somehow these strips from Crosshairs' coat seemed to be helping with her pain levels.  
'Thank you daddy, it doesn't hurt so much now.' Smash uttered, looking up at him with a faint smile. 'I knew you could make it better.'  
'Not me, baby girl, not this time. Crosshairs made it better.' Sidewinder replied, looking towards the downed mech. 'try and get some rest, baby girl, daddy's got to check on Crosshairs and find us some new shelter for tonight.'  
'I'll try daddy.' Smash nodded, getting comfortable in her nest. 'Will Crosshairs be okay?'  
'He'll be fine, he just needs some rest, baby girl.' Sidewinder smiled, digging a lighter canvas blanket from his subspace and draping it over her. 'Sleep well princess, I love you.'  
'Love you too daddy.' Smash chirped, curling her fingers around the blanket and drifting back into recharge.

Hissing in pain as he was rolled over and his bleeding wounds jostled, Crosshairs grabbed for the nearest plating and dug his fingers in, optics flickering on as he tried to find a more comfortable position. Sidewinder seemed to understand though, one strong arm slipping under his shoulders to prop him up.  
'Why Crosshairs?' Sidewinder asked, pulling out his repair kit and doing what he could to stop the energon loss.  
'My fault…only fair I pay.' Crosshairs uttered, flinching away from the touches. 'Is she…'  
'She resting, said it hurt less once I bound her wound.' Sidewinder nodded, easing Crosshairs down and moving to get better access. 'Try to stay still, I've got to clean these wounds.'  
'Hurts like slag.' Crosshairs groaned, clawing up fistfuls of dirt as he submitted to Sidewinder's care. 'Knew it would…but still.'  
'You didn't have to put yourself through this.' Sidewinder sighed, grabbing the sealant from his kit and applying a thin layer over the wounds. 'You're gonna draw stares with this hack job.'  
'Won't look so bad soon. Responsive metals, they'll repair to original specs. Just gotta provide the nanites with raw materials.' Crosshairs explained, getting up on his elbows and watching Sidewinder work. 'Any metal will do, otherwise they'll take from my armour to rebuild.'  
'I might have something here.' Sidewinder offered, digging around in subspace again and coming out with a handful of metal scraps. 'I tend to hoard left over pieces from my projects.'  
'Won't need much to repair this mess. That'll just about do it.' Crosshairs shrugged, accepting the offering and settling back for a midnight snack. 'I'm sorry for all of this.'  
'It ain't your fault. We're both on edge, sick of hiding and desperate to do something destructive. But make no mistake, you hurt my baby girl again and I will end you.' Sidewinder warned, a definite note of menace in his voice.  
'Understood, loud and clear.' Crosshairs replied, looking up at the stars for a moment. 'We're gonna need a new place to hide.'  
'Already found one. There is another unoccupied structure of suitable size four miles west of this location. My sensors detect no sentient life forms within ten miles of our new shelter.' Sidewinder guided, taking some comfort in the formalised briefing speech he was most familiar with and always used when he was stressed.  
'I'll need a hand up but I can make it.' Crosshairs grinned, finishing his snack and looking over the repair work. 'Doesn't have ta be anythin' permanent, the nanites work fast.'

Putting his repair kit away, Sidewinder hauled Crosshairs to his feet before kneeling beside his daughter and wrapping her safely in her blanket. Cradling her to his chest, Sidewinder held her with one powerful arm and looked the other around Crosshairs' back, supporting him as they started walking, heading for another abandoned barn.


	20. Rediscovered

Careful to avoid notice as he gathered up what little power he had left and scanned the people that had entered the theatre where they had taken cover, Blade double checked where Beast was and tried to remain calm. They were in no fit state to handle another confrontation; Optimus was still barely functional and almost totally drained of power and little Beast was already in stasis, a combination of damage and a lack of fuel knocking her out. At least she was safe, tucked in between her parents as they waited for these humans to leave.  
"Blade…why can't…I feel…Beast?" Optimus uttered, somehow managing to dredge up enough power for internal comms. "Is she…"  
"She's in stasis lock. Damage and low fuel took her down." Blade replied, sending a ripple of affection towards Optimus. "She'll be fine once we get her some fuel."

Getting nervous when one of the humans came towards them, Blade knew he couldn't actively do anything to stop the human from coming too close but that didn't mean he felt comfortable with the situation. He wanted to break cover and flee, but deep down Blade knew he wasn't strong enough to pull Optimus and Beast to safety. Resigning himself to their fate, Blade maintained his silence and forced himself to stay still as the human climbed into him. He couldn't resist one last attempt to scare the human away, dropping all support in his shocks and nearly tossing the man off but he held his grip and reached for the doorhandle.

Blade felt a tiny thrill of pride as he dumped a few empty casings onto the floor, startling the man and drawing his attention away from the unique arrangement of the vehicles. The last thing Blade wanted now was to be forced away from his loved ones by a single human male.  
'Mortar shells? The hell happened to you?' the man uttered, picking up one of the shells still in Blade's cab.

Relaxing a little once the man walked away, Blade's worry increased when he started negotiating a cost for the two trucks. The owner of the building was surprised by the question, he'd never even realised they were hiding here in this mess. Blade was grateful for that, he was in no position to defend his family from any threats right now and the fact the CIA hadn't come sniffing around proved that their attempts to disguise their locations were still fully functional. Right now, low on power and still damaged from that ambush in Mexico, Blade couldn't ask for much more. That didn't mean he didn't deeply wish to be able to defend his family from any and all threats.

Letting out a sigh that sounded like an air hose popping, Blade snugged up the chains holding Optimus on his back and the straps keeping Beast tucked up against him. He hated having to rely on humans for help but he had no other choice. His family needed him and he was quickly running out of options to keep them safe. He felt like such a failure as a sparkmate and father, he was helpless to protect them from the humans and could only hope that the man who now owned them returned to look them over again.  
"We can't…trust him…Blade." Optimus warned, too weak to do anything but still extremely cautious of humans since the Mexico ambush.  
"We have no choice, Optimus." Blade replied, hating that they were reduced to this but there was no other way out. "I sense no cruelty in this human."  
"You can…never tell." Optimus groaned, fighting back exhaustion to continue the debate.  
"Optimus, trust me on this. I've always been better at reading humans, admit it." Blade chuckled, trying so hard not to think about how dire their situation really was. "Besides, Beast desperately needs fuel and repairs. Neither we can get in our current situation."  
"Very well." Optimus agreed but Blade could feel his reluctance.  
"Peace Optimus, I've protected us this far and will continue to until this mess is finished." Blade soothed, relieved that this man didn't try to loosen the chains holding the family together. Instead he focused on finding a way to remove the trucks from the theatre without damaging his purchases or the building.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Guided by a single, weak beacon, the Wreckers abandoned their hiding places around the NASCAR circuit and headed for Texas. They had been reasonably happy disguised as tribute cars, soaking up the attention and welcoming people to take photos with them since most people couldn't get near the real cars. The kids had soaked up the attention too, rescanning new forms and showing off their sleek lines. People loved them and no one ever realised the secret they were brushing up against.

But as far as Speedshot was concerned, the time for hiding was over and they had to prepare for battle again. Thankfully their heavy firepower was simply hidden beneath their armour, it made for uncomfortable travel but it was safer than revealing exactly who they were.  
"Ya sure about this Shot?" Roadbuster asked, rolling third in their convoy.  
"There's no doubt, Buster. Blade activated his emergency beacon. There's trouble with our leaders and we're one of the closest teams." Speedshot replied, scanning for other Autobot signals on a secondary and supremely encrypted channel. "Teams 2, 18, 20 and 21 are also inbound but aren't expected to arrive within the next four days.  
"So it's down to us to protect Optimus, Blade and Beast?" Topspin questioned, bringing up the rear of the convoy. "How are we meant to do that?"  
"By doing what we do best, Spin." Leadfoot chuckled, keeping a sharp watch for trouble all around them. "We trash anyone who dares try to harm our Prime."  
"Sounds like a perfect plan, Lead." Speedshot laughed, so glad that the tension was finally lifting off the family. "There might even be a chance for you all to play a part."  
"You mean that mamma?" Harley asked, sticking in behind Speedshot for now.  
"We can really get into the fight this time?" Rumble pressed, eager to finally show he was capable in a fight.  
"You're not going to force us to hide?" Frenzy giggled, so excited to finally be unleashed in a combat scenario.  
"Patience, my darling children. You will get your chance to show Prime just how much you have learned." Topspin chuckled, not at all surprised by their eagerness to prove their worth.  
"But you must promise to be careful if a fight does break out. We do not want you hurt." Roadbuster added, letting the kids feel how proud he was of them.  
"We'll be careful papa." Frenzy promised, his holoform turning to look over his shoulder at Leadfoot. "We don't want to cause trouble."

Getting closer to the source of the beacon, Speedshot turned and guided his family into a thicket of trees within easy reach of the current location of their leadership. He didn't like the fact they couldn't go racing in and snatch Optimus, Blade and Beast from the hands of these people but for now they needed to hold back and wait for the signal.  
"Should one of us go take a closer look?" Leadfoot asked, itching to actually do something.  
"Too risky. We have no idea what these people want with our leaders." Topspin replied, shaking out his suspension.  
"I say one of us should take a closer look." Roadbuster insisted, also anxious to actually do something instead of hiding again.  
"And what if the people who took our leaders have no idea what they really are? We could endanger them if we get too close." Speedshot warned, settling in for a long wait and hoping he was right.  
"I could do it mamma, no one would recognise me in this frame." Rumble offered, so handsome in his gleaming black and white armour.  
"Yeah, they know us as sports bikes, not cruisers." Frenzy agreed, sticking to the shadows so his silver paint didn't sparkle too much.  
"C'mon momma, give us a chance to shine. We can do this, no one will know we're around." Harley added, three voices in perfect harmony on the comms.  
"Alright, fine but keep your distance from the humans and maintain your cover. Do not initiate contact with our people, but respond if they ping you with a verifiable ID first." Speedshot briefed, worried for the kids but trying to be strong.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Grateful that their frame jarring ride was finally over, Blade faked a chain breakage and deposited Optimus on the ground behind him. For now he kept Beast close, unwilling to risk her safety until he knew more about these men. He relaxed a little when a teenaged woman appeared from the house nearby but he still maintained their cover, trying to avoid another scene. That went out the window when the woman started screaming.  
'Two trucks? Dad, please tell me you didn't spend out money on this.' she started, circling the man who had been climbing on Beast earlier.  
'Oh don't worry, he didn't. He spent my money.' the other man replied, also circling the first man quickly. '150 bucks of it.'  
'As an advance on your regular pay check.' the first man countered, keeping his gaze on Blade as the other two circled him.  
'What regular pay check?'  
'Which you will get back.' their new owner continued as the woman wandered away.  
'When?'  
'Never. We're broke.' the woman warned, looking over her shoulder.  
'I knew it.'  
'Sweetheart, could you please not drive a wedge between employer and employee.'  
'Hold on, I thought we were partners.'  
'Look, I came up short okay. I had to buy her a prom dress. Do you want me to deny her a prom dress?'  
'You might as well, you denied her a prom date.'  
'No, I offered to take her and chaperone.'  
'Nobody wants to go to the dance with their dad. It's weird.'  
'It's not the issue.'  
'Well maybe it should be.' the woman weighed in again, having come back to stand beside the scruffy haired offsider.  
'Could you guys just get off my case? You know what the engines on these run for? I can break them down, strip them for parts. Sweetheart, your shorts are shrinking by the second okay. Cold water air dry, please.' with that the woman turned and stalked away.  
'I think she looks hot.'  
'What did you say?'  
"That scruffy one is dead." Optimus uttered, coming back online again.  
"He would be if he said that about our daughter." Blade agreed, sending Optimus comfort and love through their bond.  
'Like a hot teen…ager.'  
'Oh, it's the teenager thing that makes it better, thank you.'  
'I didn't say…it didn't sound like what it meant.'

Resisting the urge to fight back as Optimus was hooked up to a smaller tow truck and dragged towards the barn, Blade kept one sensor suite trained on Optimus as he used the other to keep watch for any threats. He smiled internally as he picked up the signals belonging to the Wrecker children, circling the farm at a safe distance and keeping watch over the situation. Deciding against trying to contact the younglings, Blade diverted what power he had to his self repair systems and submitted to being dragged into the barn.  
'Hey, there's a motorbike strapped on here.' scruffy remarked, drawing attention to the still stasis locked Beast. 'Can I have it?'  
'Sure, consider it a repayment.'  
"Blade, do something." Optimus insisted, helpless to protect their daughter.  
"I can't…I lack power." Blade replied, trying desperately to come up with a plan. "I might be able to activate my holoform but that might make things worse."

Beast managed to surprise everyone though, engine roaring to life as she broke free and leapt from Blade's back. Hitting the ground hard, she kicked up a cloud of dust and disappeared from the barn before anyone could react to her sudden move.  
"Her self-preservation subsystem must have finally kicked in." Optimus remarked, trying to track her but his scanners were still barely functional.  
"Yeah but that leaves us with another problem." Blade replied, thinking fast for a new distraction to keep the humans from chasing Beast. "I apologise in advance if this hits you."  
"What are you planning?" Optimus asked, bracing for a hit but not sure quite what to expect.

Building up air pressure in a blocked line, Blade concentrated on the bullet he could feel lodged there and chuckled as it finally popped loose and shot across the barn, narrowly missing the young woman as she entered the barn.  
'What the hell?' scruffy man yelped, backing away from them quickly.  
'Dad, please. You can't keep spending money on junk just so you can turn it into different junk.' she insisted, approaching her father with a wad of envelopes in her hand.  
'We do not use the J word in here. That is a Super Simplex theatre projector, it's very rare. What about the SmilePod or the Exermo that I invented. Simply ahead of their time.'  
'Yeah, like the alleged guard dog.'

Well, at least the humans didn't seem too interested in chasing Beast, they were far too busy bickering amongst themselves over the sound of an electronic dog barking. The bickering actually amused the two Autobots, they had missed the sounds of humans engaged in gentle banter as they worked on whatever projects caught their interest. It was a nice reminder of the people they had been forced to abandon.  
'Hey Cade. Cade! This thing still work?'  
'Yes!' simultaneous answers from father and daughter. 'No!'  
'Yes and still groundbreaking. Go back and lay on the recliner and just wait for a cold one.'

Trying to relax and adjust to this new arrangement, Blade kept most of his focus on Optimus, determined to protect his sparkmate even if it meant exposing himself to danger. He just hoped that Beast was safe, she was hiding her location from his scans. He had a feeling she had found Speedshot and the other Wreckers but he couldn't be certain.  
'Final notice. Late notice. Past due.' the woman listed, dumping the envelopes beside her father.  
"Wrecker Speedshot calling Blade." Speedshot's thirty character ID code pinged across Blade's neural network, confirming his identity beyond doubt.  
"Good to hear from you, Speedshot." Blade replied, ignoring the humans for now as he sent his equally long ID code back to Speedshot.  
"Figured you were close by, we've got a lost little girl here with us. What the frag happened to you guys to put Beast in this condition?" Speedshot sighed, sounding genuinely concerned for his leaders.  
"We were ambushed in Mexico. We're all banged up but Beast refused to take cover when things went wrong. I've been carrying her around ever since." Blade explained, trying to hide his relief at hearing a long unheard voice.  
Take care "we'll take care of her until ya can be reunited, Blade. Spin and Buster are working on her right now." Speedshot offered, language relaxing a little but Blade knew he was still agitated.  
"You have our thanks, Speedshot." Blade chuckled, grateful to know they had serious support nearby and his daughter was safe.  
'I mean, what is all this crap people send you?' the blonde woman asked, holding up a few items from the nearest workbench.  
'That's a Discman and that's an 8-track tape.' Cade replied, pointing to each device as he named them. 'Music.'  
'Never heard of it.' she countered, tossing the devices aside.  
'Look, I fix that its 100 bucks. I fix that, its two fifty. If I would have been able to fix that before you broke it even more, it would have been 20 bucks. This stuff is what's going to put you through college as long as you land one of those scholarships.' Cade continued, completely oblivious to the little scout drone Blade dropped from his undercarriage.  
"We need more information about this place." Optimus insisted, still trying to bring his scanners online with little luck.  
"Drone is already on the move. I'm hoping there's enough stuff around here that he won't notice our bug." Blade confirmed, sending his little drone out to get a better look at things.  
'Dad, you think maybe some things should never be invented?' the daughter asked, totally focused on her father.  
'No, I don't. That's backwards thinking. This is a temple of technology, you guys are standing in a holy place.' Cade declared, getting up and walking away from his daughter.


	21. Danger Close

Looking around quickly, evaluating every option and making sure to always put his family first, Ironhide hated the situation they were in right now. They'd been so careful, constantly moving around and avoiding contact with humans unless it was absolutely necessary. But it was all turning out to be for nothing, all their caution and discretion hadn't been enough to keep them from being noticed. Now they had Cemetery Wind all around them and it was painfully clear that they weren't here for a chat.

Caught in the open, they had only two choices and neither particularly pleased Ironhide right now. He never liked the idea of retreat, but he liked the idea of dragging Nimrah into a fight even less. She wasn't ready, her armour was still too thin and she lacked any real firepower. She had a couple of small cannons and a miniature version of Ratchet's buzz saw hidden inside her arm but it wasn't enough to make Ironhide comfortable about letting Nimrah anywhere near this. 

Ironhide didn't want Ratchet in the fight either, he was capable but Ratchet was a gentle spark, Ironhide hated to push him into a hot zone unless it was absolutely necessary. Ironhide also knew that Ratchet would never leave him behind, not after their long separation post Chicago and especially not now that Nimrah was in the picture.  
'Got a plan?' Ratchet asked, raising his rifle in readiness.  
'Yeah but you're not gonna like it.' Ironhide nodded, hugging the shadows as the soldiers moved closer to their position.  
'Let's hear it.' Ratchet directed, one hand on Nimrah's shoulder.  
'Take Nimrah and get out of here. I'll hold 'em off and join you later.' Ironhide briefed, keeping it simple and straight to the point.  
'Not a chance.' Ratchet growled, keeping Nimrah back to protect her from harm. 'I already lost you once, I ain't letting you go again.'  
'Ratch, I can handle this mob. I've got the secondary shielding now, I'll be okay.' Ironhide insisted, spinning out his cannons. 'Go, I'll be right behind you.'  
'No, I will not leave you. I can fight, I'm not going to leave you to do this alone.' Ratchet growled, his stubborn streak coming out full force.  
'Ratchet, listen to me please.' Ironhide tried, turning to Ratchet and resting one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'Lockdown is out there, you remember what happened the last time we faced that monster?'  
'I remember and that's all the more reason why you can't do this alone.' Ratchet nodded, drawing Nimrah in closer. 'He just about killed you last time.'  
'I've gotten stronger since that conflict. These new weapons and the Martian additions make me more than a match for Lockdown.' Ironhide soothed, keeping a sharp audio tuned for the humans behind them. 'But I can't focus on the fight ahead if I'm constantly worried about you both. I need you to leave so I can end this threat to our family.'  
'No daddy, please don't make me go.' Nimrah pleaded, moving to cling to Ironhide's armour. 'No, don't do this daddy. Please don't go.'  
'I gotta go, sweetspark. I promise I'll be right behind you.' Ironhide soothed, caressing her helm lightly. 'I have to stop him before he can hurt anyone else.'  
'No daddy, I can't lose you! You don't have to face that monster!' Nimrah cried, pressing closer to his side. 'We can still escape, please don't do this daddy.'

Battle instincts firing hard, Ironhide grabbed Nimrah and spun, ducking away from a heavy shot that shredded the wall they had been sheltering behind. Spinning out his heaviest cannon, Ironhide kept his daughter secured to his chest and returned fire, relieved when Ratchet also joined the fire fight.  
'Ratch, we don't have time to argue about this. Take Nimrah and get out of here.' Ironhide growled, doing his best to keep his heavy armour between Nimrah and the incoming fire.  
'No, we stand and fight. We can defeat Lockdown together.' Ratchet replied, moving up to help cover Nimrah.  
'Damn it Ratch, don't do this. Remember what happened last time, I can't go through that again.' Ironhide was close to begging, unwilling to risk a repeat of an ancient mess. 'Take Nimrah and go, I'll be right behind you.'  
'No, I won't leave you daddy.' Nimrah howled, refusing to be dislodged from Ironhide's side.  
'Nimrah, please. I give you my word I will find you. This isn't the end, I will be there for all your milestones but I need you to go now.' Ironhide tried, desperate to protect his family from all this carnage. 'I love you so much Nimrah, don't ever forget that.'  
'I won't daddy, I love you more than words can ever say.' Nimrah nodded, reluctantly letting go of him. 'I'll miss you.'  
'I'll miss you too, sweetspark.' Ironhide uttered, turning to put his stronger backplate towards another incoming missile.  
'We can't leave that way.' Ratchet warned, returning fire as several heavily armed SUVs let rip with miniguns and missiles.  
'Slag, looks like we're going this way.' Ironhide growled, setting Nimrah down and flipping out his second cannon. 'Stay close, I'll clear a path.'

Breaking cover, Ironhide opened fire with everything he had, starting with the aerial threats and then working on clearing them a way out of this mess. Putting his trust in the secondary shielding and other defensive upgrades he'd received, Ironhide didn't bother trying to avoid the incoming missiles slamming down around them, or the waves of bullets chasing them across the ground. The shielding wasn't perfect, a small percentage of the expended ammunition was able to pierce the shield but the damage was only minor.  
'What the frag is wrong with these people?' Ratchet growled, taking a shot and flipping one of the cars. 'We're supposed to be allies.'  
'Don't know, don't care.' Ironhide replied, moving sharply to protect Nimrah from another long range shot. 'I'm more worried about where Lockdown is hiding.'  
'He'll show up.' Ratchet spat, stumbling when a missile took the ground out from under him suddenly. 'Prime can lecture us later, these people are done.'  
'I can live with that.' Ironhide agreed, destroying several vehicles in quick succession. 'These people don't deserve to live. Not after threatening our little girl.'

Keeping up their momentum, Ironhide breached the human lines and continued laying down serious cover fire for Ratchet and Nimrah. Crushing another vehicle as he passed, Ratchet grabbed Nimrah's hand and ran for it, transforming on the fly and putting his bulk between Nimrah and the continuing enemy fire. Kicking one SUV aside and stepping on another, Ironhide willingly put himself between Ratchet and their enemies.

Turning to look at the sound of crunching metal behind him, Ironhide could only watch in horror as Lockdown and Ratchet traded blows and tore up the ground. Making a snap judgement, Ironhide turned his back on the humans and ran towards the brawling pair, just hoping that Nimrah had been able to get away safely.  
'Don't you hurt my carrier!' Nimrah screamed, charging in and smashing into Lockdown from the left. 'I'm not afraid of you!'  
'Nimrah! Get out of there!' Ironhide roared, closing the distance fast and raising his cannons.  
'Ironhide, focus on the humans.' Ratchet growled, still totally focused on Lockdown.  
'Bigger threats die first.' Ironhide replied, relaxing a little mow that Lockdown was focused on him instead of his family. 'You know I'm the biggest threat here Lockdown. Leave them be, they ain't a threat.'  
'Box them in! Box them in!' the humans were getting closer, training their weapons on the brawling foes.  
'Hold your fire! We're Autobots! Friends!' Ratchet called, managing to grab Nimrah's scruff bar and yank her away from Lockdown.  
'Why you running?' one of the humans asked, keeping his rifle trained on them.  
'Optimus sent this distress message.' Ratchet replied, activating his radio.  
"Calling all Autobots. We are under targeted attack. Cease all contact with humans." Optimus' voice rang out, drawing a whimper from Nimrah's vocaliser.  
'We're all hiding. All Autobots are being hunted. We're all in danger.' Nimrah added, keeping most of her focus on Lockdown.  
'I lost a sister in Chicago. You'll get no sympathy from me.' the human countered, lowering his weapon slowly.  
'I don't want your sympathy.' Nimrah countered, her sass and snark always amusing for her parents. 'I lost my daddy!'  
'Nimrah, that's enough. Don't encourage the maniacs.' Ironhide chastised, still mostly focused on keeping Lockdown back. 'You don't need those two, Lockdown. Ya got me, the last of the Prime Guards and the chosen bodyguard of our current Prime.'  
'Reports were that you were dead, Ironhide.' Lockdown rumbled, getting a firm grip on Ironhide's arm and trying to restrain him. 'But why would I give up this chance to hold your mate and child as leverage over you?'  
'Then I propose a deal.' Ironhide countered, grabbing Lockdown by the throat. 'One that will satisfy both of you.'  
'The only thing that will satisfy me, is your death.' the mouthy human spat, glaring up at Ironhide and his family. 'And I have my own ways to ensure I get what I want.'

Looking down again as another SUV came closer, Ironhide turned his focus back to Lockdown but his attention was ripped back to the SUV by a painfully familiar little voice crying out in fear and another demanding that these assholes release his little girl. Growling low in his vocaliser, Ironhide made a snap decision and threw Lockdown back, then silenced the alerts that came up from the damage to his left cannon. The damage was minor, Ratchet would be able to patch it in a few minutes but Ironhide didn't intend to give him the chance.

Thinking fast, he glanced at his own family then turned his gaze back to the Lennox family as these Cemetery Wind goons continued to press them into the ground. He hated to even consider doing this but he had to do something to defend both families from the threat right in front of them all. He couldn't let anything happen to either family, he was responsible for both families and always would be. The arrival of Nimrah had never changed his responsibilities as Guardian of the Lennox family. He knew that he would never be able to live with himself if something happened to any member of either family.

Folding his cannons away, adding a touch of brute force when the left one refused to cycle smoothly back into its housing, Ironhide sunk down to sit on the tarmac and rested his forearms on his knees, hands palm up and loosely open.  
'Release the Lennox family and I will give you the locations of several Autobots.' Ironhide offered, his focus on the leading human in this situation.  
'Ironhide, no.' Ratchet uttered, drawing Nimrah closer and staring at Ironhide in horror.  
'Lockdown, release my mate and daughter and I will give you the prize you seek. Ain't hard to tell you want Prime, there's no one else on this planet worth your attention.' Ironhide continued, looking up at the Bounty Hunter. "Calm down Ratch, I know what I'm doing."  
"This is a stupid plan, 'Hide." Ratchet chastised, unable to believe what Ironhide was doing. "I can't believe you're going to give the others up so easily."  
"Never said I was going to give up easy. Trust me Ratch, I've already activated my old Guardsman protocols. They won't get anything of value." Ironhide chuckled, those words sending a flash of relief through Ratchet's neural net. "I've got this covered but I need you to trust me on this."  
"I trust you with my life, 'Hide. But I will not leave without the Lennox family. Make your deals, but make it clear that we leave together." Ratchet instructed, tucking Nimrah closer to his side to comfort and protect her. "I will take over your guardianship of the Lennox family."  
"Thank you, I was concerned about their fate." Ironhide sighed, sagging a little where he sat.  
'What makes you think I have any interest in this deal?' the human asked, looking up at Ironhide with anger and frustration in his eyes.  
'Three humans in trade for at least nine Autobots. What do you have to lose?' Ironhide taunted, completely at ease with the situation. 'Think about it Lockdown, Ratchet isn't worth much compared to the Prime.'

Keeping Nimrah tucked close, Ratchet dropped to one knee and waited, still ready for a fight but willing to trust Ironhide in this. Most people forgot that Ironhide did have a tactical mind, he simply preferred to shoot first and think later. But this situation was a timely reminder that Ironhide was more than just a frontliner, he had served the Prime long before war broke out and likely would continue to serve for a long time to come.  
'Very well, we have a deal.' Lockdown agreed, returning to Ironhide's side and aiming at his head. 'Where can I find Optimus Prime?'  
'Last check in put him here, heading west.' Ironhide offered, displaying a map of the US/Canada border and a single flashing marker giving a location. 'Town called Yellowknife.'  
'Keep talking, Autobot.' the human leader added, signalling for his men to release the Lennox family. 'Where are they hiding?'  
'All across the planet.' Ironhide replied, expanding the map to a global scale and bringing up dozens of markers. 'Can't be sure who is where, only signals I can identify always belong to my family and my Prime.'

Reaching out to scoop the Lennox family up, Ratchet held them to his chest and stood, staring with saddened optics at Ironhide as he sat there quietly, the map spinning slowly in front of him. But as he started to turn away, Ratchet stopped and watched in silence as Ironhide ejected a control module from his chest. Pulling it free with two fingers, he placed it on the ground and withdrew his hand.  
'A wise choice, Autobot. You won't need that anymore.' Lockdown remarked, picking it up and crushing it in his hand. 'Do not think you can fool me, Autobot. If your Intel is wrong, I will hunt down your family.'  
'They can't tell you anything, Lockdown. No doubt these humans aren't finished with me yet, you'll have plenty of time to come back and have another go at me as many times as you need.' Ironhide snarled, refusing to let Lockdown anywhere near his family.

Almost pulled off his feet when Nimrah finally break his grip, Ratchet shifted his grip to protect the Lennox family and watched with great sorrow as Nimrah once again latched onto Ironhide and begged him not to do this. Keeping the Lennox's close to his chest, Ratchet closed the distance and crouched, reaching out to wrap his free arm around Nimrah lovingly. Nodding faintly as Will and Sarah got a firm grip on his frame and supported Annabelle between them, Ratchet wrapped his left arm around Ironhide and rested their helms together.  
'Nimrah, baby girl, I need you to be brave for me, okay. I know this is scary but you're a brave girl, I know you can handle this without me to guide you.' Ironhide uttered, gathering his family to him as he spoke. 'I need you to do something for me, okay?'  
'What can I do, daddy?' Nimrah asked, lifting her head from his chestplates.  
'I need you to help your momma watch over the Lennox family. I want you to watch over Annabelle and keep her safe. Your momma can keep track of Anna's parents but I need you to help out by watching over Anna.' Ironhide directed, stroking her back lightly. 'Can you do that for me, sweetspark?'  
'I'll take care of her daddy.' Nimrah nodded, drawing back slowly. 'I'll be brave and strong, just like you. I'll miss you so much daddy.'  
'I'll miss you too, sweetspark, so very much.' Ironhide replied, releasing her and turning his attention to Ratchet. 'I'll miss you both, but I take comfort in knowing you will watch over Nimrah and the Lennox's until this is sorted.'  
'I will keep them safe and out of Cemetery Wind hands, I give you my word.' Ratchet promised, making sure the Lennox's were safe. 'I'll be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. I love you, never forget that.'  
'I love you too, Ratch. Always and forever, you're my number one. Be strong, this separation won't last too long.' Ironhide uttered, nuzzling Ratchet's cheek tenderly.  
'I will find you again, I won't let these people keep you from us.' Ratchet insisted, nudging Ironhide's head up and kissing him softly. 'I will keep everyone safe.'

Pushing down his desire to fight back and rescue Ironhide from this sticky situation, Ratchet drew back and stood, relieved that Nimrah came to him without any arguments. Turning slowly, they walked away from Ironhide and kept walking when he cried out in pain. Cycling his optics, Ratchet stopped Nimrah from looking back as they passed through the human blockade. Crouching and setting the Lennox family down, Ratchet waited for Nimrah to transform before taking to his wheels and inviting the family inside.  
"I'll be waiting 'Hide. Just tell me where and I'll bring the pain." Ratchet sent, hating that he was leaving but unwilling to risk their family further.  
"I know, Ratch. Soon as I know where, I'll let you know." Ironhide replied, the pain echoing across their bond. "Look after our little girl."  
"With my life." Ratchet promised, leading Nimrah away from the scene.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Leaving Mississippi behind them, Ratchet drove all night and through the next day, leading Nimrah as far away from Lockdown's last known location just in case the Bounty Hunter tried to go back on the deal. They only stopped for food and toilet breaks, everyone tense and nervous as they pressed on through a second night and into a third day on the run. Will had asked where they were going several times but Ratchet couldn't give him a straight answer. He didn't know where they were going and he wouldn't until they arrived.

But finally, at 6:27 am on the forth morning of their run, Ratchet found what he was looking for and turned into the darkened driveway in a quiet suburban street. Sending the code to open the garage door, he slipped inside and waited for Nimrah to pull up beside him before closing the door and silencing his engine.  
'Huh? Wha's goin' on?' Will slurred, lifting his head slowly from the cradle of his seatbelt.  
'We have arrived.' Ratchet declared, pushing his scanners to the limits to check for threats.  
'We're in a garage?' Sarah questioned, barely awake but at least she was seeing some details.  
'Yes, this is one of Emily's old safe houses.' Ratchet confirmed, satisfied that no one had followed them. 'Do not be alarmed, I will switch to using my holoform now. I picked the name Rachael Hunter and Nimrah chose to be Natalie.' 

Jaw dropping as a figure literally appeared out of nothing beside the now silent rescue vehicle, Will could hardly believe what he was seeing. The woman standing out there looked nothing like what he had pictured Ratchet might look like as a human. Will was almost embarrassed to admit that he had thought about it a lot ever since Optimus had revealed his Martian holoform years ago. He had expected some bookish looking woman with her hair pulled back and a lab coat, not this rebellious young woman before him.

Of average height and a little on the curvy side without appearing chubby, she wore simple blue jeans and a white singlet with thin straps to show off the realistic and colourful galaxies and planets covering her arms all the way to her wrists. Her long black hair framed her face, highlighted by a thick streak of pure white hair cascading over the right side of her face in gentle waves. Eyes as blue as the summer sky, enhanced by a touch of blue eye shadow but the makeup was smudged from tears.

Opening the door and jumping down, Will approached her and reached out to rest one hand on her shoulder lightly. Giving her every chance to reject him, Will pulled her into a gentle hug, whispering soothing words in her ear as Rachael broke down and wept on his shoulder.  
'Mom?' another voice uttered, a voice Will almost recognised.

Turning a little, he looked at the young teenager standing beside Nimrah's form, smiling softly as Rachael beckoned her closer. Natalie looked just like any teenager, wearing cut off jeans that barely reached halfway down her thighs and a tight blue t-shirt with "You Wish You Could Have Me" written on it. Showing off a rebellious streak, she had her nose and left eyebrow pierced and bright green streaks in her long brown hair. At the moment Natalie was barefoot and seemingly unconcerned about the dirty floor as she ran over and wrapped her arms around Rachael's side.  
'We'll be okay, sweetie, we'll get through this.' Rachael uttered, holding her daughter close as they tried to adjust to the empty space where their husband and father belonged.  
'If there's anything you need, anything at all, we're here for you both.' Sarah offered, joining the supportive embrace.  
'You are very kind, Sarah but all we can do now is wait. I called ahead and had a contact stock the house with everything you will need, the rest is in the hands of fate.' Rachael sighed, lifting her head slowly.  
'I'll get Anna, you three head inside.' Will guided, heading back to the silent Humvee and opening the back door to retrieve his little girl.

Finding solace in the presence of friends, Rachael and Natalie managed to push their grief aside for a little while and make sure the Lennox family were settled in properly before retreating to the living room and sitting down together.  
'Mom, are you sure dad will find us?' Natalie asked, cuddling closer to her mother.  
'One way or another, we will be reunited.' Rachael nodded, looking at the interlocked hearts inside her left wrist.  
'And I will be right here to make sure of it.' Will promised, leaning on the back of the couch. 'I mean it, he is my friend and I won't leave him to suffer.'  
'This is not your battle, Colonel. Harrison wouldn't want you involved in this.' Rachael insisted, shaking her head quickly. 'He told us to keep you safe and that's precisely what I'm doing.'  
'My ladies will be safe here, no one else even knows we're here. I'll talk to Sarah, she won't begrudge me a chance to repay the debt.' Will countered, coming around to sit beside the women and put an arm around Rachael. 'He traded his freedom for mine, for both our families. I can't just sit back and do nothing.'  
'Alright, fine but if Sarah says no, you stay put.' Rachael agreed, her reluctance showing on her face. 'Deal?'  
'Deal.' William nodded, getting up again and heading to speak with his wife.


	22. New Alliances

Feeling far more awake after a few days in the care of this particular human and his family, Blade surreptitiously stretched out his suspension while all eyes were off him and settled in for another long day doing nothing and waiting for someone to realise they were here. It was boring to pretend to be an ordinary truck, even the chats with the nearby Wreckers were getting a little repetitive now and there had been no word from anyone else.  
"Attention all Autobots; Blue Knight has fallen. Attention all Autobots; Blue Knight has fallen." Ratchet's voice broke the silence, his words sending a chill though Blade's systems.  
"Oh Primus, not again." Optimus uttered, fear and horror flashing across the bond.  
"He can't be dead. Their bond is too strong; his death would have claimed Ratchet as well." Blade insisted, refusing to believe that one of their best was dead. "My guess, Cemetery Wind caught him. Think Optimus, what would Ironhide do if that is the case?"  
"Guardsman protocols. He would enable his Guardsman protocols and do everything in his power to ensure anyone who did capture him could now use him as in Intel mine." Optimus replied, memory circuits bringing up the ancient protocols. "He can give coordinates but the protocols mean he can never give coordinates within five miles of any Autobot signal."  
"So he can make Cemetery Wind chase their tails, giving us a chance to escape?" Blade asked, trying to keep Optimus focused so he didn't break their cover.  
"Yes, along with their new ally. The Bounty Hunter, Lockdown, I picked up his signal in Mexico. I did not put the pieces together until recently." Optimus sighed, reaching out across their bond.  
"It's okay Optimus, this disaster caught us all off guard. We'll get through this, together." Blade soothed, sending love and care through the bond. "It's not your fault."

Cade Yeager had become a near constant companion, right now he was mostly under Optimus working on repairing the damage done in the Mexican ambush. Blade wasn't surprised Optimus was uncomfortable, he didn't like anyone poking around in his systems, much less an unfamiliar pair of hands.  
'Dad!' Tessa called, signalling a new potential problem as Cade rolled out from under Optimus.  
'Coming!' Cade replied, getting up and hurrying towards the door.  
'Are you working with lasers? If so, I'm not coming in.' Tessa continued, her voice getting closer.  
'You guys have never seen a truck like this before. Get in here.' Cade directed, opening the smaller door and yanking his daughter inside. 'Lock that door.'  
'It doesn't have a lock.' Lucas replied, pulling the door closed behind him.  
'Look! Look at the hole in the radiator. Look at the size of it. Something blew a hole in it.' Cade declared, super excited about his discoveries.  
'Yeah, so?' Lucas asked, following Cade back towards Optimus.  
'It's not normal steel. The shrapnel in the engine, it ripped all the connections apart. And watch, and this took some Cade genius. You are gonna love this.' Cade continued, climbing over the scaffolding surrounding Optimus.  
"What should I do?" Optimus asked, reluctant to reveal his secret to these humans.  
"Play your message. Speedshot and I agree that it's time to reveal ourselves to the Yeager family." Blade replied, not really surprised that Optimus was feeling low right now. His confidence had taken a heavy blow after Mexico.  
'When I hook this back to a working battery…' Cade finished, hooking up a battery and watching the sparks fly.

Relishing the fresh power flooding through him, Optimus felt a little of his old confidence coming back and shunted some of it to his radio system as he started up the warning alert that kept him from spending time with his people.  
"Calling all…calling all Autobots."  
'Oh yeah. I don't think it's a truck at all. I think we just found a Transformer.' Cade declared, so proud of himself for the discovery.  
"Well, close enough." Blade chuckled, fully aware that Cade was watching him as he stretched out his rear suspension again.  
"Would you not bait the humans." Optimus sighed, concerned that Cade would figure things out too quickly.  
"Relax, he's far too interested in you right now." Blade huffed, settling back into place and watching the humans panic.  
'Ahh! Evacuate!' Lucas yelled, turning and running for the door.  
'Wait! Guys!' Cade tried, jumping down and hurrying after them.  
"Blade, Lucas just dropped an eviction notice. These people are going to lose their home." Optimus warned, training his scanners on the document on the ground.  
"My wireless connection is still offline." Blade sighed, thinking for a moment. "Speedshot, you got a wireless link?"  
"Sure do. What do you need it for?" Speedshot confirmed, sounding ready for some action.  
"I want you to search for any bank accounts in the names of Cade Yeager or Tessa Yeager. If you find anything, I want you to make an anonymous donation to them from an untraceable account. I leave the amounts up to you but they just received an eviction notice and have been stealing power from their neighbours." Blade briefed, planning to make sure the Yeager's were around to enjoy their mysterious wealth once this was over.  
"Alright, I'll get on it." Speedshot replied, sounding very pleased with the chance to help these people in thanks for their help with Optimus and Blade.  
"Thank you Speedshot." Optimus offered, also grateful for this opportunity.  
'Dad, are you out of your mind?' Tessa asked, her voice carrying to the Autobots even though they were outside. 'You need to get that thing out of here.'  
'You don't have to worry, I've been in there working all night. I'm fine.' Cade replied, his confidence unshakeable right now.  
'It's not a truck, okay. You're right. It's an alien killing machine.' Lucas agreed, severely uncomfortable with their presence.  
'Dude, its DOA. It's been recalled, totalled, done.'  
'So, listen. There's a number that you call. You're supposed to call. The government, it's the American thing to do.'  
'Here we go.' Cade sighed, sounding frustrated as Lucas went off about this hotline and the money available.  
'You're supposed to call and if it ends up being an alien, then you win 25 thousand dollars.'  
'You don't win money.' Cade interrupted, doing his best to regain control of the situation.  
'And if you can capture it live, like tag it like a wild wildebeest, then you get 100 thousand dollars.'  
'Dad, we're making the call.' Tessa insisted, refusing to listen to reason.  
'I heard that.'  
'I've seen the commercials. They don't say that. That's not a guarantee.' Cade countered, unwilling to back down right now.

Concerned that he had made a terrible decision and doomed them both, Blade shifted uncomfortably and focused on keeping Optimus from doing anything that might risk these humans. There was still a chance that this could be salvaged, still hope of making it out of this barn without trouble. It was all a matter of playing their cards right.  
'If that's a Transformer in there, from the battle of Chicago, I need to know how it works. I'm an inventor, this could be a game changer for me. If I could apply that technology to my inventions, we never have to worry about money again.' Cade was on a roll, determined to learn more before letting anyone else know what he had.  
'I've heard that before.' Tessa replied, still refusing to accept his words.  
"Do you think we made the right choice?" Optimus asked, rocking on his suspension but being careful not to disturb the scaffolding around him.  
"I believe we made the right choice. Cade reminds me of Wheeljack, he won't give up until his curiosity is satisfied." Blade replied, keeping a close watch on the humans when they returned.

Cade went straight back to Optimus, completely oblivious to the fact he actually had two Transformers in his barn. Optimus took his tinkering with silent grace, trying his hardest to stay still when Cade caused pain by accident.  
'25 grand, it pays for my college, it pays for the house.' Tessa pushed, looking up at her father with angry eyes.  
'Besides, you used my money to buy the truck, right. So technically, that's my truck.' Lucas added, blinded by the false promise of money. 'Don't you think?'  
'You also signed a contract regarding all research lab IP.' Cade replied, swinging down off the scaffolding.  
'Research lab? It's a barn, dude.' Lucas sighed, standing strong even though he had no idea what he was getting into.  
'You signed it and now you're competing. Any idea of yours is mine. Any thought you have, I own it. So basically, I own you.' Cade pushed, advancing on Lucas and sending him back a few steps as he spoke.  
'I don't think you can own someone. That was like a while ago, even in Texas.' Lucas replied, sounding a little hurt as Cade grabbed a heavy leather apron.  
'Alright, bring the torch over and help me hook the pulley on. I think the shrapnel took out its power core. Oh, and Tessa, you see this?' Cade continued, picking up a hammer and ducking under the scaffolding to give Optimus a few solid wacks with the hammer. 'Would an alien killing machine let me do that? Look, I'll make the call, we'll get the money. Just first, let me see if I'm right. You want to hide in the house? Go ahead. Let's go, pulley on.'  
"It is a good thing I have a high tolerance for pain." Optimus grumbled, adding a processor ache to his many injuries.  
"You need it with all the trouble you find." Blade chuckled, wondering how much longer they would have to fake being trucks. "Speedshot, how is Beast?"  
"She's back to 84% of optimum. Poor girl is missing her family though." Speedshot returned, his voice a reminder that they weren't alone in this.  
"Keep her with you for now but when I give the signal, send her back to us." Blade instructed, keeping most of his attention on Optimus, Cade and Lucas.

Flinching when Optimus cried out in pain across their bond, Blade braced for the worst and hollered as the missile Cade had removed from Optimus activated and went whizzing around the barn, leaving fresh burn marks and dents in Blade's frame before it disappeared out the door.  
"Blade!" Optimus called, feeling better now that had been removed from his torso.  
"I'm okay, just bumped those broken chest struts." Blade replied, diverting his self repair system to stabilise the struts.  
'Dad! There's a missile in the family room!' Tessa called, her voice getting louder.  
"Now Speedshot." Blade ordered, hoping that Beast's return would help to keep Optimus calm.

Sending out a shower of sparks, Optimus engaged his transformation sequence and hoped that he had enough power to make it through the sequence. It was a rough shift, some parts stuck and several low power warnings flashed across his primary circuits but he managed to regain his feet at long last.  
'I'll kill you all.' Optimus growled, staggering and almost falling as he went on a destruction rampage and reached for his favourite rifle. 'I'll kill you! Stay back!'  
'No, don't shot! Don't shoot!' Cade cried, protecting his daughter behind him.  
'Call 911. Run!' Lucas yelled, getting up and racing across the barn, only to get knocked flying by Optimus' rifle.  
'Lucas, don't move. Just calm down.' Cade added, worried for his friend and daughter.  
'Easy human.' Optimus rumbled, clinging to Blade so he didn't fall again.  
'Stay there.' Cade uttered, looking to Tessa for a moment. 'He's not gonna hurt us.'  
'Weapons systems damaged.' Optimus groaned, swaying dangerously again.  
'A missile hit your engine. But we took it out of you. You're hurt really bad.' Cade tried, keeping the second truck between him and the angry alien. 'We're just trying to help you. You're in my home now. I'm an engineer, my name is Cade Yeager.'  
'Cade, I am in your debt.' Optimus nodded, wiping spilled energon from his lips. 'My name is Optimus Prime. My Autobots…they're in danger.'

Unable to stay hidden when Optimus fell a second time, Blade backed right up to his fallen mate and activated his transformation, filling the air with a terrible sound as abused gears and strained cables were forced to shift suddenly. He was just thankful that the humans had enough sense to hug the walls until he was kneeling beside Optimus.  
'Two of them? Dad, what have you done?' Tessa yelped, pressing up tighter against the wall.  
'I am Blade, you have my deepest thanks for your assistance.' Blade offered, helping Optimus to kneel and holding him close.  
'We need to go. We need to go now.' Optimus insisted, looking down at the broken piece of his helm on the ground.  
'How far do you think you're gonna get?' Cade asked, moving away from the wall again. 'Tessa, come here. They need our help. What happened to you?'  
'An ambush. A trap. Set by humans.' Blade replied, rubbing Optimus' back when he started coughing up clouds of exhaust. 'That's it, clear your system.'  
'We escaped and took these forms.' Optimus added, lifting his head slowly.   
'But you're on our side. Why would humans hurt you?' Tessa asked, staying back but at least she was trying.  
'They were not alone.' Blade answered, shifting onto one knee.  
'Our Autobots can repair us.' Optimus insisted, struggling back to his feet.  
'Yeah, if you can reach 'em.' Cade countered, looking up at the pair before him before moving to pick up the fallen armour piece. 'What about me?'

The humans once again jumped and backed up when a familiar red, blue, black and gold motorbike rumbled into the barn and stopped nearby. This time the transformation was much slower, limb by limb until a much smaller Autobot stood up, balanced on their wheels.  
'Daddy!' the voice was clearly female, stunning the humans as she raced towards the two larger Autobots and latched onto them. 'I was so scared.'  
'Beast, you're okay.' Optimus uttered, sinking back to one knee. 'I have been so worried for you.'  
'You're safe now, little one, its okay.' Blade uttered, curling one massive arm around her. 'We are not so different, Cade. Family is important to us as well.'


	23. Running Again

Sitting quietly and watching Cade working on the deep hole in Optimus' chest, Blade smiled softly as Beast continued to dance around her parents. She was always so careful, skating around the various bits and pieces scattered around and never once getting in Cade's way. It was almost perfect, her bright laughter filling the air as Cade continuing working to shape the metal he needed to continue repairing Optimus.  
'I admit, I never even considered that your people might actually have children.' Cade remarked, pausing to watch Beast spin around Optimus.  
'We might be machines but we still have the ability to breed and secure another generation.' Blade replied, reaching out to Beast and letting her take his hand so she could spin around him.  
'You took a hell of a hit, you know.' Cade continued, lifting his latest component and turning his attention to Optimus. 'Missile just missed your power source.'  
'We call it a spark.' Optimus replied, watching over Cade even as he held one hand out to Beast and let her spin around him again. 'It contains our life force and our memories.'  
'We'd call it a soul.' Cade nodded, also watching Beast for a moment.  
'Our sparks also allow us to form very powerful bonds with certain people. Family bonds are simple, allowing us to remain in constant contact with our offspring. We also form sparkbonds, our equivalent of marriage.' Blade added, shifting his position and welcoming Beast into his lap for cuddles. 'Feel better now, darling?'  
'Much better daddy.' Beast chirped, snuggling into his chassis.

Attention drawn to a shell casing lodged in his armour, Optimus started picking at it, knowing full well that his self repair system wouldn't be able to force it out. Twisting it between his fingers, he finally pried it loose and looked closely at it. Another reminder of Mexico, one he could do without.  
'Cade,' Optimus rumbled, flicking the casing aside. 'Why are you willing to help us?'  
'Guess maybe because you trust me to.' Cade replied, firing up his welder in readiness.  
'Now isn't the time to question it Optimus, just let him work.' Blade chuckled, leaning back on one hand.  
'Daddy, can we go outside and play?' Beast asked, looking up at her father with such love in her golden optics.  
'Is your holoform generator functioning?' Optimus asked, double checking that his generator was functioning properly.  
'Yes daddy, Topspin fixed it.' Beast nodded, turning her attention to Optimus and smiling softly.  
"Prime! Blade! Be on your guard! Cemetery Wind is inbound to our location! Repeat: Cemetery Wind is inbound to our location!" Leadfoot called, his words startling both leaders. "We will attempt to divert them."  
"Negative, let them come. We are ready for them." Optimus instructed, meeting Blade's gaze across the barn. 'Do not be concerned Cade, this is just another skill we have. We are able to use holoforms to interact with your world on an appropriate scale.'

Jaw dropping as three golden glows appeared beside the ladder, Cade didn't know what to think as he looked at the three people standing there. There was no mistaking the family connection, the little girl was a perfect mix of her parents, bouncing happily as she held onto them both. He looked like he was in his late-thirties with a mop of black hair that looked blue when the light hit it and had the brightest blue eyes Cade had ever seen. Dressed in stained blue jeans, white t-shirt and an equally filthy red shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he obviously belonged with a truck. She had long brown hair, pulled back in a pony tail and dark blue eyes that shone with vitality. She also looked like she belonged behind the wheel of a truck, black jeans and broken in boots with a red tank-top under a white shirt with the sleeves ripped out. Their daughter looked so cute in her little red dress, dark brown hair pulled back in pigtails with bright blue bows and eyes the colour of the summer sky.

Laughing softly, the woman reached up and nudged Cade's jaw closed, earning a chuckle from her husband before he lifted their daughter and set her on his hip.  
'Try not to drool, Cade. Betty is and always will be mine.' he grinned, tugging his wife closer.  
'I'm Betty, he's Orlando and this is Bethany.' Betty explained, relaxing into Orlando's side.  
'Blade, Optimus and Beast. I think I got it.' Cade nodded, still recovering from the shock. 'Go on, I'll be right here working.'  
'Thank you Cade.' Orlando replied, turning and heading outside with his beloved family.

Breaking away from her family to explain things to Tessa when she started screaming about strangers on the property, Betty got a rare chance to watch her husband and daughter acting like fools and having fun doing it. It was refreshing actually, a reminder of the good times before Cemetery Wind destroyed everything.  
"ETA on Cemetery Wind?" Blade asked, trusting the Wreckers to watch out for them.  
"Five minutes." Roadbuster answered, constantly watching for threats.  
"Picking up on we're also picking up on Lockdown but he's further out." Leadfoot confirmed, itching for a fight but still obeying orders for now.  
"Be aware, Cemetery Wind has air support." Topspin added, voice full of a desire to kick some aft and soon. "We've recalled the kids for now, we don't want them caught in the crossfire."  
"Understood. Be ready, move in when I give the signal." Blade directed, relaxed and patiently waiting for the trouble to kick off.  
'Everything okay?' Tessa asked, reaching out to rest one hand on Betty's shoulder.  
'I'm back!' Lucas called, looking towards the house but at least this time he didn't freak out at seeing something unusual.  
'Took you long enough.' Tessa replied, shaking her head quickly.  
'My head hurts, I had to go to the doctor. I got a welt on my head that makes me look like a freaking Star trek character.' Lucas complained, heading into the barn.  
'Suck it up Princess.' Betty uttered, earning a snigger from Tessa. 'Everything is fine, Tessa. Just checking in with some other Autobots that are nearby. They have spotted some signals that could mean trouble but we are not certain yet.'  
'Have you told my dad?' Tessa questioned, worry flashing in her eyes.  
'Rest assured Tessa, we will not let any harm befall any of you. You are the first humans we have felt we could trust in over a year. You have reminded us why we chose to stay on this planet when our world was destroyed completely. For that, we all thank you.' Betty promised, wrapping one arm around Tessa's shoulders. 'Whatever happens, we will protect you.'  
'That means a lot, thanks.' Tessa smiled, leaning into Betty's side. 'You feel so realistic.'  
'That's what makes this system so special. We can fool any scanners or detectors with these forms, no one can tell we're not real unless we make a mistake.' Betty shrugged, turning her attention back to Orlando and Bethany. 'It's nice to be able to relax, this mess has made us all tense.'

Sure enough, five minutes after Lucas returned, another cloud of dust drifted up, the wind bringing them the faint noises of several high power engines coming towards the house. The Autobots remained calm, continuing their games and idle conversations as they waited for Cemetery Wind to make their move.  
'Dad!' Tessa called, looking at Betty for a moment and trying to appear strong.  
"Wreckers, stand by. We have bogies on the property." Optimus ordered, making sure to keep his holoform between Bethany and the approaching cars.  
"We're in position and waiting for your orders." Speedshot responded, voice level and calm.  
'Be strong Tessa, we will protect you.' Betty uttered, squeezing her shoulder lightly before heading to stand with her family.

Standing together, the two families watched in silence as several SUVs pulled up and at least 12 men climbed out, each heavily armed and wearing body armour. Bethany whimpered in fear, pressing closer to her parents but otherwise, no one moved as one man headed straight towards Cade and the rest spread out to cover everyone else.  
'Mr Yeager, my name is James Savoy. I'm a federal agent. My men and I are trying to track down two abandoned trucks.' their leader stated, looking around slowly. 'It's a nice spread you got here. Too bad she's for sale.'  
'Well thanks but she's not. That one the trucks you mean?' Cade replied, pointing to his old pickup nearby as he pulled on his jacket.  
'Afraid not.' Savoy responded, shaking his head faintly. 'You know, Mr Yeager, we received a call about someone concerned about these trucks.'  
'Oh no.' Lucas gulped, drawing Orlando's gaze to him.  
'That wasn't you?' Savoy continued, oblivious to or ignoring Lucas' comment.  
'The only thing I'm concerned about is you being on my property without permission.' Cade countered, refusing to back down. 'You know, we got a rule about people messing with people from Texas and I don't know what trucks you're talking about.'  
'The kind that costs American lives.' Savoy growled, turning to face Cade again. 'Search the property!'  
'What do you mean search the property? You don't have a warrant.' Cade protested, glancing to Orlando for help.  
'My face is my warrant.' Savoy replied, leaning in a little closer.  
'Wait, but if you guys do find these trucks, we get a reward, right?' Lucas asked, backing away from the Cemetery Wind men with his hands raised.  
"Can we leave Lucas behind for this?" Blade asked, activating his camouflage in the barn.  
"As tempting as that is, we must protect them all." Optimus sighed, also hiding from the approaching enemies.  
"I don't want to protect Lucas. He sold us out." Beast protested, taking cover and waiting for this to be over.

Holding still and staying quiet as the Cemetery Wind goons searched the barn, the three Autobots prayed that their cooling fans didn't kick in while they were trying to avoid detection. From the way these people were acting, they had no idea that three Autobots were hiding right near them.  
'Let's go. There's nothing here.' one declared, moving away from where Optimus was hiding and heading for the door.  
"Well, at least this lot isn't as clever as the last team." Blade uttered, still not daring to move.  
"No Lockdown at the moment." Optimus replied, keeping perfectly still and silent.

Outside, Orlando held his family close as the search team reappeared from the barn and confirmed no sign of the Autobots that were meant to be here. He was hoping that perhaps they would give up and move on, he'd heard similar reports from other teams out there.  
'Sir, we have a live, armed missile in the trash.'  
'Live? I carried that to the trash! You told me that was a dud, dude!' Lucas called, horrified by how close he'd come to a live round. 'I could be dead. Right?'  
"We wouldn't be so lucky." Beast grumbled, wisely staying put for now.  
"Beast, be nice." Blade sighed, but privately he agreed with his little girl.  
'Look, okay. Yes, I found two trucks, alright. I towed them back for the parts. I left them out here last night, this morning they're gone. When, where, I don't know. I swear to God, that's as much as I know about them.' Cade ranted, desperate to get these people off his property.

Something Cade said set these bastards off though, something about his words upset them and no one could quite figure out what it was that had suddenly caught Savoy's attention.  
'Mr Yeager.' Savoy started, turning to follow Cade's path around him.  
'What?' Cade asked, turning to the other man but Optimus could read his fear.  
'Excuse me, you just said him.'  
'No he didn't. Ya'll obviously ain't used to Texan accents, he clearly said 'em.' Orlando drawled, relaxing his grip a little.  
'Take 'em down!' Savoy ordered, unconvinced by Orlando's words.

Listening to Tessa screaming to be let go and Cade insisting that no one else knew anything, Betty snarled and waited for one of the men to grab her before she took a risk and relaxed the solidity of her holoform just enough for his hand to slip through her arm. Turning sharply, Betty resolidified her form and lashed out, driving her knuckles into the nose of the man trying to grab her, shattering it and staining her white top with his blood.  
'What kind of a man betrays his flesh and blood brethren for alien metal?' Savoy asked, missing Betty's sharp actions. 'Get this guy out of my sight.'  
'They don't know about the truck!'  
'Alright, load up! Search the perimeter!'  
'Lucas, you called? Didn't you?' Tessa screamed, struggling against the man holding her.

Refusing to go quietly, Optimus waited for Savoy to at least be facing in his vague direction before flickering his holoform. Flesh and cloth disappeared, replaced by sharp angles and solid metal. With a roar of fury, Optimus tossed one of his would be attackers aside and flicked back to his human form before punching another man in the face.  
'Daddy!' Tessa cried, still fighting as Cade was thrown to the ground and pinned down. 'Let him go! Daddy!'  
'Let her go!' Cade yelled, fighting the men around him. Even Lucas was resisting, seemingly surprised that they weren't being thanked and paid for capturing Optimus.

Dissolving her holoform when someone grabbed her and lifted her off the ground, Bethany kept moving, ducking and diving to avoid reaching hands as Tessa was thrown down and Savoy put a gun to Cade's head.  
'Now, you've got ten seconds. Where's the truck.' Savoy demanded, taking a knee beside Cade.  
'What? You're gonna shoot my little girl?'  
'If I have to.'  
'Not if I have anything to say about it.' Bethany snarled, switching to her Martian form and tackling the shooter away from Tessa. 'Ya want an alien, come and get me ya asshole!'  
'They don't know. I told you everything I know. He's gone. He left. He was in the barn. I swear to God. You let her go!' Cade offered, desperate to protect his little girl.  
"Enough of this! We reveal ourselves now!" Optimus growled, flickering his holoform again.  
"Wreckers, make your move." Blade ordered, letting two men get close before disappearing from sight and letting them smash into each other. "Optimus, you leave first. I'm going to need space for my next stunt."  
"Understood. Beast, you take off now. The Wreckers are inbound but I want you clear when we make our appearance." Optimus instructed, aware that she would not like the plan.  
"I'll be close by, daddy." Blade confirmed, not happy but willing to trust her parents.

Firing up her engine, Beast broke cover and peeled out, sending a carefully arranged pile of stuff everywhere and bowling over one of the searchers before she shot out the doors and raced towards Savoy and the Yeager's. Kicking up a cloud of dirt and grass, she blasted through the fence and away, leading two of the Cemetery Wind vehicles on a merry chase.  
"Wreckers, Beast inbound to your location with two bogies. Would appreciate a hand with them." Beast reported, making sure the two chase vehicles never lost her.  
"Copy that, Beast. We're in position, bring 'em past." Topspin replied, flashing her a location for the rendezvous.

Vaulting out of his hiding place beneath the floor, Optimus crashed through the boards covering him and sent their enemies flying in every direction. Grabbing for anything that would work as a weapon, he sent Cemetery Wind a very clear message about why it was a bad idea to mess with the Autobots. Blowing out the front wall of the barn, he ran and jumped, rolling through the collapsing wall and pushing to his feet in one smooth motion. Rifle out, he returned fire against the humans all around and moved away from the damaged barn, waiting for Blade to make his move and join the fight.  
'Cade, they're going to kill you! Get out of here!' Optimus roared, putting down cover fire for the terrified family.

Dropping the cloaking system he was so proud of, Blade took two running steps as he activated another subsystem buried deep in his programming. Kicking off, he pushed his transformation gears to the limit and engaged his engines before the last panels had locked into place. Pushing his body to the limit, he raced skywards and rolled gracefully, angling towards a helicopter that was currently harassing the Yeager's.  
"Incoming missiles!" Blade warned, his scanners much better suited to aerial work than ground systems. "I have Lockdown on my scanners."  
"We must protect the Yeager's first." Optimus replied, still trading fire with Cemetery Wind.  
"Alright, I'll deal with the air support first." Blade agreed, adjusting his track and blasting past the helicopter at full speed.

The helicopter never stood a chance, the pass close enough to dent two of the blades and send it into a critical nosedive as Blade pulled up to avoid the incoming missiles. Flipping over again, he saw Speedshot and Topspin racing across the grass to join the fight and Rumble and Frenzy working to protect a white and blue rally car also racing into the battle. Opening his bomb doors, Blade swept around the burning home again and added to the chaos with several high explosive bombs.  
"Check off two Cemetery Wind vehicles, we flattened 'em on Beast's call." Speedshot reported, swinging around and running over two armed men.  
"Protect those civilians. They are good people." Blade instructed, getting down incredible low and blowing over two SUVs with his engine wash.  
"Copy that, Blade. We'll keep 'em safe." Leadfoot confirmed, appearing over the rise and swinging around to cover the rally car.  
"That don't mean we're abandonin' ya though." Speedshot growled, continuing to work in close with Optimus to keep Cemetery Wind away from the civilians.  
"Leadfoot and I will cover the civilians. You two watch the leaders." Roadbuster confirmed, spinning onto the scene and taking up a place beside the rally car. "Rumble and Frenzy are with us, Harley is assisting Beast."

Tires screaming, Topspin slotted in behind Optimus as Speedshot took the lead and opened fire on the fools trying to block their path. Blade was still with them, proving ongoing air support just in case Cemetery Wind had more helicopters available or some heavy firepower hidden in one of the few remaining vehicles.  
"Come on Optimus, floor it." Topspin called, spinning through a 180 and continuing to put out a wave of cover fire.  
"I am doing my maximum speed as it is." Optimus replied, thankful for the cover but concerned about the Yeager family.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Showing off their speed and skills, Leadfoot and Roadbuster stayed close to the rally car without limiting where the driver could go to escape the pursuing black vehicles. Frenzy and Rumble stayed further out, weapons online as they waited for the perfect moment to strike. Kicking up the dust, Rumble spun and launched two missiles, flipping one SUV and making one of the low slung speedsters spin out.  
"Head into the cornfield!" Roadbuster instructed, patching into the radio system in the rally car.  
"Kids, cover us. You can move undetected through the field." Leadfoot added, blasting into the cornfield behind the smaller car.  
"We're on it dad." Rumble and Frenzy replied, plunging into the cornfield and starting to hunt.  
"Where do you need us?" Harley asked, bursting through the corn to take up a place in front of the rally car but off to the left.  
"Spread out and deal with any chasers. We've got a couple of SUVs and two unidentified vehicles on our tail." Leadfoot instructed, slipping back to take up a rear position.  
"We're on it Leadfoot." Beast replied, breaking formation and disappearing back into the cornfield. "Keep a sharp watch on those people, they are good friends."  
"We've got 'em covered Beast. You just worry about our tails." Roadbuster chuckled, ignoring the sting of corn against his armour. "But if they don't pick up the pace, we're screwed."  
"Human vehicles aren't as fast as us." Leadfoot sighed, taking out another SUV and picking up another incoming helicopter. "We need air cover! We've got birds inbound!"  
"Copy that, I've got them on my scope." Blade confirmed, racing overhead to deal with the new threat. "Damn it, I could really use some extra wings up here."  
"That we can do. Amatol on scene." Splat called, racing low over the chase scene.

Suddenly the air seemed filled with fighters, eight more joining the chaos and splitting up to cover both teams on the run. Blade turned and headed back towards Optimus, four F/A-18 Hornets falling into place behind him. Splat remained on station over the rally car, joined by two F-111's, an F-A-18E Super Hornet and a Dassault Rafale. Five more motorbikes also joined the chase, darting in and out of the cornfields and doing everything they could to keep the black cars away from the brighter rally car.  
"Beast, get in close to that car and tell them that we're all on their side." Leadfoot ordered, bursting out of the cornfield.  
"I'm on it." Beast replied, spinning around and tracking back to the rally car as she pulled up an older version of her little Betty holoform. 'Cade! Cade!'  
'Betty? What the hell is going on?' Cade called, both hands latched onto the door as he tried to talk with the young woman.  
'Relax, any vehicle that isn't black with tinted windows is friendly. The fighters are also friendly, we have a strong aerial force.' Betty explained, shouting to be heard over the screaming engines and high winds.  
'How many of you are there?' Lucas asked, trying to hold on in the back seat.  
'Over 100.' Betty grinned, looking to the side. 'Incoming!'

Hearing the call, Leadfoot gunned his engine and slipped in between the rally car and the black chaser coming in from the side. Taking the brunt of the impact, Leadfoot strained to avoid hitting the civilian car and continued driving, cheering on the comms as the chase car was riddled with bullets by Roadbuster.  
"Nice on Buster, that's stickin' it to these assholes." Leadfoot praised, staying in beside the rally car and bringing up his holoform. 'Keep drivin', we'll be right beside ya.'  
'Who are you?' Tessa called, staring at him in disbelief.  
'Name's Robbie but mostly it's Roadbuster.'  
"Meet and greet later! We gotta keep moving!" Leadfoot insisted, racing past the pair. "We've got houses coming up, I'll break a path."  
'Stay behind Leadfoot for the next part, we'll keep you covered.' Robbie guided, falling back to take up a rear position. "Close it in kids, things are about to get tight."

Crashing through the first fence, Leadfoot shifted gears and spun, throwing up dust as he powered through the tight confines. He tried to keep the collateral damage to a minimum, seeing no reason to make a mess for these innocent people. Making a connection with the onboard computer of the rally car, Leadfoot created a HUD on the windscreen so he didn't lose their new friends in the dust cloud. That connection was even more important when Leadfoot narrowly avoided a large tree and picked up the rally car making the same close turn but the trailing SUV wasn't so fortunate, smashing into the tree violently.

Leaving the houses behind, Leadfoot cut the HUD connection and hit the highway again, maintaining a lead position as the motorbikes spread out around the three cars. The fighter cover stayed close as well, staying above the buildings but close enough to do damage to anyone who threatened their friends.  
"Leadfoot, let the humans take the lead. This is unfamiliar territory for us." Metric guided, taking a shot and destroying the engine of another chase car.  
"Smart call." Leadfoot agreed, spinning around and slotting in behind the rally car. "We really do have to figure out how communicate with humans while in these forms."  
"Mention it to the mechanics." Roadbuster sighed, spinning through another 180 and returning fire when one of the SUVs let rip with a gattling gun. "That wasn't my fault."  
"Nope, that's human error." Odd Ball agreed, maintaining his distance from the overturned cars littering the street. "Emergency services have been contacted."  
"Roadbuster! Forward!" Crash hollered, spotting the problem but out of position to deal with it.  
"I see it." Roadbuster confirmed, lurching forward and opening fire on another SUV trying to block them as the rally car spun through a tight 90 degree turn and powered away again. "Spin! Shot! We could use some extra tires over here!"  
"On our way! Team 2 has the Boss!" Topspin replied, his voice carrying his joy at the fight.

Screaming past traffic, Topspin and Speedshot joined the protection team with style, slamming into two of the low slung chasers and sending them flying into different buildings. Leaving matching black streaks on the pavement, they joined the team around the blue and white car, constantly watching for their next target.

Realising what the human driver was planning, the Wreckers dropped into single file behind him, following him through the shattered glass of a building front and past stunned witnesses at incredible speeds. Bursting out through the back service entry, they continued their race to safety, boxed in by buildings but confident the youngsters out further and the aerial team above would warn them of any approaching trouble.  
"Team 2 is danger close. Two running battles just became one." Streaks reported, opening fire on Lockdown in an attempt to protect Optimus.  
"Copy that, Streaks. We're in position." Speedshot chuckled, pulling out of line and moving forward. "c'mon, let's show these assholes why it ain't smart to mess with us."  
"We're right with ya Shot." Leadfoot agreed, also moving forward and searching for targets.

Taking a risk but feeling confident it was the right choice, Blade dropped altitude and transformed on the fly, ignoring the warnings the move created. Flaring out his wings, he managed to kick Lockdown off the building he was climbing and rolled to a safe landing a few meters away. Getting up, Blade turned and engaged his thrusters, charging at Lockdown again, determined to keep him away from Optimus. Moments later, four nearly identical Subaru WRX rally cars raced around the building and transformed, joining the fight against Lockdown as the Wreckers raced past with their target.  
"I got this one." Topspin growled, switching gears and slamming on his brakes to drive his rear end into the nose of the pursuing car.  
"Marked is ours!" Low Rider challenged, tagging another pursuer with a laser before shifting into her bipedal mode.

Grabbing hands and getting up a rhythm, the four sisters closed in on their chosen car and timed it to perfection. Their line waved for a moment then Stryker was thrown forward, backed up by the momentum of her sisters. Leaving the ground, she led with her tires and tore straight through the roof of their target car. Skating up on either side of the damaged car, Flamer and Spook opened fire on the occupants, leaving the car uncontrolled in a headlong rush towards a wall. Spinning smoothly, the four motorbikes headed back to the main chase, proud of their skills and looking for another target.

Up on the rooftops, Slash let out a howl as he was kicked off the roof and went plummeting towards the ground. There was no time for him to switch focus to his jet form but it turned out to be a moot point when he landed on another SUV chasing the Wreckers and squashed it flat. Getting to his feet slowly, he looked up just in time to see the rest of his small team disappear from sight with the sound of sheering metal and breaking glass.  
"Bonfire! Windvest! Ghost!" Slash called, plucking a door from between his backplates and tossing it up towards Lockdown. 'Oh yeah, headshot!'  
"We okay Slash, just took a tumble." Bonfire responded, sounding a little annoyed at the misstep. "New plan?"  
"Focus on the black cars down here, we have to stop Cemetery Wind." Slash directed, turning and dropping back onto his wheels.

Mostly ignoring the fight going on above them, the Wreckers continued their rampage through the abandoned industrial park, splitting up and chasing down their targets with efficient ease. The confusion only grew when Slash and his fellow rally cars joined the fight, sending up smoke from their tires as they tried to pull some of the chase cars away from the blue and white car still leading the pack. Windvest proved to be the greatest distraction, his paint scheme almost identical to the human controlled rally car.

Engines screaming the loudest yet, the Wreckers formed a line and spun around, putting out a solid wall of gunfire and tearing apart two SUVs as Optimus jumped Rom the nearest rooftop and rolled over another one. Whipping around again, the loving family split again, sending their kids after the main target and breaking out to help Slash and his team with the distraction. The rest of the youngsters also scattered, taking pot-shots at their enemies and racing away before anyone could return fire at them.

Helpless to do anything except keep civilians away and watch for enemies emerging from the buildings, the aerial team entered a holding pattern above the battlefield and used their advanced scanners to keep track of all the players in this deadly dance. Lockdown wasn't interested in them, making it much easier for the fighters to focus on where everyone else was. They all would have preferred to be down on the ground but there just wasn't enough clear space down there for them to really get into this fight.

Pushing hard to keep up with the racing car, Rumble and Frenzy called the lead and shot through their transformations, barely losing speed as they came up onto their feet and levelled their rifles at the pursuing cars. Staying close to their target, they kept the chase cars back but the close confines and multitude of obstacles made it so much harder to get a clear shot at either vehicle behind them.  
'We're losin' 'em on the fifth floor.' Shane called, leading his pursuers on a merry chase through the building.  
'We're with you all the way, Shane.' Rumble nodded, vaporising a support pillar in an attempt to bring down a roof section on top of an enemy car.  
'Just remember we're here.' Frenzy added, jumping over some random debris on the floor.

Throwing smoke bombs to further confuse their pursuers, the twins stayed with Shane as he raced up through the levels and then hit the flat on the fifth floor of this derelict building. Crouched low, the twins moved behind the rally car when they overheard Shane asking if Tessa was ready for something. But even they were caught off guard when the car did an incredibly sharp 90 degree turn and raced towards a set of heavy duty ramps leading out a gap where a window had once been.  
'Frag!' Rumble cried, out of time to make the choice and committed to the flight. "Apa!"  
'Shit!' Frenzy howled, launching high into the air and wondering if he would survive the landing. "Papa!"

Sprinting to the location of his twins, Topspin transformed on the move and looked up, stunned and horrified to see his sons so far up and away from the building.  
'I've got Rumble!' Roadbuster called, calculating the trajectory and hurrying to the best guess landing zone.  
'I'm here Frenzy!' Topspin yelled, making similar calculations and moving fast to catch his little boy. 'Papa's got you!'  
'Oh man, that's gotta hurt.' Leadfoot gasped, feeling a twinge in his chassis as the rally car slammed to the ground.

Ignoring the escaping rally car and the human occupants, Topspin and Roadbuster caught their boys and dropped, protecting their sons against their chests as they rolled backwards to burn off the last of the momentum of the flight.  
"Points for style, I'll give him that." Speedshot remarked, skidding onto the scene in a cloud of dust. "Everyone okay?"  
'A few dents but otherwise, we're okay.' Topspin nodded, sitting up slowly. 'Stick close Frenzy, I'll protect you always.'  
'I know papa.' Frenzy replied, shaken to the core but relieved it was over.  
'Same over here, but that is definitely one for the Never to be Tried Again list.' Roadbuster sighed, getting up and setting Rumble on his wheels.  
'I don't plan on it apa.' Rumble uttered, huddling close to Roadbuster for a moment longer before letting go and returning to his alt-mode.  
"Wreckers, move out! Lockdown is above you!" Metric screamed, breaking formation in an attempt to distract Lockdown from the shaken family.

Leading the rest of the ground team to the area, Optimus blew his horn and popped his doors in clear invitation to the four people in the stricken rally car. It didn't take much for him to discover that the speedy little car was permanently disabled and the Yeager's would need a new way out of this mess.  
'Come on, move! Move!' Cade guided, climbing out as Shane grabbed Tessa by the hand and led her away.  
'My foot's stuck, wait!' Lucas called, struggling with his safety harness for a moment before finally getting free. 'Cade!'  
'Lucas!' Tessa cried, turning back for him.  
'Wait! Wait!' Lucas repeated, starting to run as Lockdown appeared above them all.  
'Lucas! Lucas, above you!' Cade warned, eyes wide as Lockdown threw a grenade over the side of the building.  
'Fall back! Fall back!' Leadfoot roared, grabbing Harley and back-pedalling fast.  
'Oh shit! Now that's dirty!' Speedshot growled, taking a shot but missing the grenade. 'Come on, move it you four!'

Flinching away from the explosions unleashed by Lockdown's grenade, the Autobots could only watch in horror as Cade, Tessa and Shane managed to outrun the devastation but Lucas was caught up in the tidal wave of molten metal and instantly turned to carbonised flesh and bone. The remaining three humans made it safely to Optimus and climbed into his cabin, horrified by the death of their friend and colleague.  
'Come on, get it! Let's go!' Shane called, trying to hurry Cade along.  
"Autobots, form up and move out." Optimus ordered, pulling away from the factory and wishing it hadn't happened like this.  
"Aerial team, spread out and keep us covered." Blade instructed, taking to the skies again and sending love to his mate. "It wasn't your fault Optimus."  
"Wasn't it? We did not have to bring these people into our war." Optimus sighed, turning his attention to his passengers. 'You have our sympathies. Lucas was a good friend.'  
'Thank you.' Cade uttered, reaching out to pat his dashboard lightly.


	24. Rendezvous 32

Leaving the battles behind them and taking turns to take scouting runs to make sure they weren't followed, the team maintained a respectful silence as they headed out into the desert. The aerial team kept a particularly sharp watch for trouble, Blade sticking close to Optimus as the rest of the flight strayed out further.  
"Calling all Autobots. Calling all Autobots. Gather at Rendezvous 32. The mission has changed. Repeat: gather at Rendezvous 32. The mission has changed." Optimus called, broadcasting the message on all the backup frequencies.  
"Optimus, you need to rest. I can read your systems, you need fuel and rest." Speedshot warned, sending a rather pointed scan over Optimus.  
"There's an old, abandoned gas station not too far ahead. It's isolated and we've got the aerial team to watch for anyone approaching." Ghost suggested, returning from another scouting mission. "We're still clear, no tails to report."  
"Very well, we will take a break at this gas station." Optimus agreed, reluctant to stop but he could admit that he needed to take a few minutes to stretch out.

Pulling up at the forgotten station in the middle of nowhere, everyone made their own checks to be sure no other humans were around before transforming and sitting down to rest. Optimus in particular was unsteady on his feet, more collapsing to the ground than actually sitting down.  
'Our deepest sympathies on the loss of your friend.' Slash offered, taking a knee beside Optimus.  
'We stay here until we get the all clear from above. We are all targets now.' Speedshot added, looking down at the three humans they had to protect.  
'So we're hiding out now? That's the plan? We're takin' orders from a truck?' Shane asked, cuddling up to Tessa as he looked around. 'Or from a car?'  
'You got a better idea?' Cade asked, turning to the young couple. 'Hey, move away from her kid. Don't…take your hands off her.'  
'You would be wise not to push your luck, Shane.' Beast warned, blocking him from following Cade and Tessa. 'We made a promise to protect the Yeager's but you have no such guarantee.'  
'Beast, be nice. Shane is clearly special to Tessa and that is reason enough to protect him.' Optimus sighed, stretching out and rolling onto his back. 'We may not know him but he did help keep Cade and Tessa safe.'  
'I don't trust him dad.' Beast insisted, skating after the Yeager family.  
'Ratchet is gonna kick your aft when he sees this mess, Prime.' Speedshot drawled, guiding the rusty armour out of the way so he could take a closer look. 'Talk about a mess.'

Scenting the air carefully, Topspin crawled across the flat ground slowly, ignoring the comments about his behaviour until he found what he was looking for. Breaking through the hard packed surface, he tossed the dirt aside and kept going, the smell growing stronger with each handful that went flying.  
'Topspin, what the frag are you doing?' Windvest asked, flaring out one armour panel and shaking out several squashed bullets.  
'I smell gasoline.' Topspin replied, still digging like crazy. 'It's not perfectly clean but it smells good enough for our needs.'  
'It's probably dregs but it's better than nothing.' Speedshot shrugged, still working on getting Optimus patched up. 'Slash; get your brother down here so we can check him over too.'  
'Already sent the message.' Slash chuckled, flaring out a set of solar panels and settling on the ground. 'Primus bless Wheeljack and this idea.'  
'Ya look like a demented dog.' Shane remarked, still watching Topspin digging like crazy.  
'At least he's useful.' Windvest grumbled, shaking out more wasted ammunition. 'Revs is gonna kill me when he sees all these holes.'  
'Just blame the human, ya wouldn't have gotten shot up if he'd picked a better place to play chase with those assholes.' Ghost shrugged, setting up his own solar panels and relaxing back.  
'Roadbuster, grab my ankles!' Topspin called, the dull sound of knuckles against a mostly empty tank ringing out.  
'All of you, that's enough. Shane is one of the few good humans around us, he risked his life for the Yeager's and I owe the Yeager's my life. You might not respect him but at least you can show him courtesy and kindness.' Optimus growled, pushing Speedshot back and sitting up slowly to look over his team. 'What is wrong with you all?'  
'You don't get…' Leadfoot started but was silenced when Speedshot hit him in the optic with a casing he pulled from Optimus' armour.  
'Things have changed, Optimus. You can't expect everything to fall back into place like it used to be.' Speedshot sighed, planting one hand on Optimus' shoulder and pushing gently. 'We'll talk about it when you're stronger; right now you need to focus on recovery.'  
'Hey, you got your mug there Optimus? Topspin says the fuel is good enough for our systems but only if your filters are fully working.' Roadbuster called, still bracing Topspin over the old tank.

Producing his battered old mug from subspace, Optimus reached out to set it near the busy pair and settled back on the ground, submitting to Speedshot's rough treatment of his remaining wounds. The job wasn't perfect but at least it would keep him going until he could reach one of their medics.  
"Do ya really have no idea why tensions are running high right now?" Speedshot asked, his voice soft on their private comm channel. "Not a clue?"  
"No, what have I done so wrong?" Optimus sighed, looking up at the smaller mech beside him.  
"Ya weren't there like ya promised. Ya gave us ya word that ya would never be out of range, we'd always be able to reach ya if we needed guidance. But ya weren't there. We called for days, tryin' ta reach ya to tell ya we'd managed to get a trace on Lockdown's ship but ya never answered us." Speedshot growled, tweaking a few wires in frustration. "Ya broke ya word and no one is ready to forgive ya so easily this time."  
"My comms were damaged in Mexico, along with many other systems. My self-repair system relegated my comms to the bottom of the list." Optimus admitted, resting one hand on Speedshot's arm. "I feel bad enough, Speedshot, please don't make this worse."  
"You'll feel worse when you finally talk to Mirage and Prowl." Speedshot warned, finishing his repair work and getting up. 'Ratchet is still gonna kick ya aft, Prime. No gettin' around it.'  
'Thank you for the reminder.' Optimus sighed, sitting up and looking towards Roadbuster and Topspin. 'How goes the fuel search?'  
'There should be enough in here for everyone to get a top up but its rough goin' down.' Topspin replied, emerging from the tank as he wiped one hand over his faceplates. 'High rust content and a lot of organic debris.'

Not really interested in fuel right now, Beast stayed close to the only real shelter out here, listening as Shane, Cade and Tessa got into a minor debate about dating and Shane's life story. She didn't really like Shane, but he made Tessa happy and that's what really mattered to Beast. She actually felt a special connection to this young woman, they were both living with parents who sometimes forgot that their daughters had their own hopes and dreams for the future. She couldn't stop the flinch when Tessa partially blamed Optimus and Blade for what happened to Lucas, but she refused to give up on the chance of making friends with Tessa. They should never have stayed with the Yeager family but the damage was already done and now they all had to live with the consequences.

Dropping into a crouch when Tessa emerged from the building, Beast produced a slightly scratched full helmet from her subspace and held it out with two fingers. There was a moment of hesitation before Tessa took it and turned it over in her hands.  
'Come on, you look like you need to blow off some steam.' Beast offered, revving her engine lightly. 'We won't go far but I think we could both use some time away from our parents.'  
'Your dad is against dating too?' Tessa asked, pulling on the helmet.  
'Nah, I'm still far too young to date. He's just being overprotective and annoying.' Beast shrugged, dropping down into her alt-mode. "I'm still just a kid by the standards of my people. I've only been online for a few years."  
'I figured you were older.' Tessa remarked, mounting up and getting used to the feeling of a sentient motorbike under her.  
"Tessa, my race is extremely long lived. My dad, Optimus, was online when dinosaurs roamed Earth. I believe one of my uncles was online when Earth was a molten mass but he guards his age fiercely. I'm still just a baby, I've got my whole life ahead of me, millions of years to chase my dreams and find my place." Beast explained, revving up and peeling away from the dilapidated building. "There's a big universe out there for me to explore."  
'I can't imagine what it's like to live that long.' Tessa uttered, holding on tight as Beast threw them through some tight turns and just enjoyed the chance to cut lose and have fun.

#~#+^*^+#~#

The team ended up spending the night around the gas station, the aerial wing coming down under cover of darkness and taking up positions around the lonesome building. Everyone kept their scanners tuned for approaching vehicles and recharged in shifts, constantly watching and listening for any problems. Despite the wishes of her parents to stay close, Beast slipped into the building and stayed beside Tessa all night, the two girls becoming firm friends in a cloud of dust and pebbles.

But with first light, the fighters launched back into the air, spreading out and resuming their watch for Cemetery Wind or anyone else that might cause them problems. Cade had been busy, pulling apart the minidrone he had captured back on the farm and rigging it for remote control operation, giving them another way to get Intel without exposing themselves. They took everything of value from the old station, loading it into Optimus' cab and getting comfortable in the worn seats.

Not exactly pleased about the orders they had been given, the eight race tuned Autobots split up and peeled out in pairs, doing everything they could to divert attention away from Optimus and his precious cargo. Speedshot partnered with Windvest, Low Rider slotting in behind them. Topspin ended up with Bonfire, Flamer and Frenzy joining them for the run. Leadfoot picked Slash, Striper and Harley patrolling ahead of them. Roadbuster and Ghost took the longest route, Spook and Rumble helping to keep watch on everything around them.

The rest of the younglings formed their own team with Beast in the lead, swapping out their street fairings for the ageless lines of various Harley Davidson's. Producing holoforms of rough and dirty bikers, they stayed about a mile behind Optimus, constantly watching for threats and listening to reports coming in from their vast aerial net. They were the key to contact between air and land, their bonds with their fathers made for instant communication and rapid sharing of Intel to all parts of this mission.

Rumbling along the open road, Optimus dedicated a large portion of his focus to getting some of his key systems up and operational again. His first priority was his comm system, he was tired of being stuck on receive only with no capability to respond to anyone beyond his family. After that, he intended to get his weapons systems back online, along with his holographic disguise, locator subsystem and Secondary Energy Supplementation subsystem. All four were important but Optimus was definitely looking forward to getting his turbine system back online.

But for all his intentions to get his systems repaired, Optimus worried for the humans taking refuge within him, their grief still visible in their eyes as they stared out at the world around them. Cade was restless, shifting in the seat and running his hands over the steering wheel lightly. His heart rate and breathing showed more than grief, he was worried and trying to hide it from his daughter.  
"Cade, I apologise for the destruction of your home and property. When this is over, we will find a way to help with the rebuilding process." Optimus offered, deciding not to reveal just how wealthy the Autobots were quite yet.  
'Provided we still have the land.' Tessa sighed, looking at her father for a moment.  
"I assure you, the land will still be yours when this is over." Optimus promised, opening his glove compartment. "The yellow envelope is for you, Cade."

Not quite sure how this would be taken, Optimus stayed silent and listened to the reports coming in from the rest of his team. So far there was nothing of interest to report, no one was tailing them and none of the scouting teams had discovered any potential threats.  
'You paid off my mortgage? Cleared all our debts? How did you do this?' Cade demanded, flicking through the documents presented to him.  
"Before the Battle of Chicago, we met a woman who was extremely wealthy but chose to live a simple life and use her money to benefit other people. She was a huge help to us in our previous three battles against our enemies and provided us with a peaceful place to call home after the Battle of Chicago. For a few wonderful years, we knew peace and safety in our own homes but then we learned just how truly fragile humans can be. We take comfort knowing her end was comfortable, surrounded by those she cared about the most but it never stops aching. Ratchet is still trying to find a cure for breast cancer, as a final tribute to our dear lady." Optimus explained, remembering his last conversation with Emily before she left them "in her memory, all those who knew her keep a pink ribbon on their armour."  
'That's so sweet.' Tessa uttered, completely forgetting about the mysterious documents. 'She must have been quite the woman.'  
"I had never witnessed a human with such determination, courage and compassion until I met her. She showed no fear whenever she raced into battle among us, facing down opponents so much larger than she. Her loss was a heavy blow to all of us." Optimus sighed, projecting one of his favourite images of Emily onto his windshield. "She was perhaps not the human ideal of beauty but she was precious to us."  
'She left her fortune to you when she died, didn't she?' Cade asked, looking up from the documents to admire her soft smile and happy eyes.  
"Yes, she wished to be certain that we would be comfortable and fully supported after she died. She had no family left, we had become her second family and she loved us as family. Her foresight ensured that even now, with the Autobots scattered across the country, we are not completely helpless." Optimus confirmed, shutting off the projection. "Her gift is how we were able to secure your home and remove the debt burden from your shoulders Cade. It is the least we could do for your help."  
'We could do? So this wasn't your doing?' Cade questioned, tucking everything back into the envelope and setting it on his lap.  
"No, my wireless internet connection was damaged in Mexico so I asked Speedshot to make the arrangements and send me the confirmation documents. Beast went to retrieve the documents, using a holoform of you to confuse anyone who might be watching. As far as anyone is concerned, you have a clean slate now Cade." Optimus offered, relieved to be getting this all out in the open. "I hope that is not a serious problem, Cade."  
'I'm surprised but no, it's not a huge problem. Thank you for this, it's a huge weight off my shoulders.' Cade replied, amazed by the generosity being shown to them.  
"Tessa, I understand that this has been a huge inconvenience for you. I overheard you mention your finals and we will find a way for you to take those exams so you can graduate." Optimus continued, doing his best to build bridges with these three. "It is possible that we could download a copy of the necessary exam papers, give you time to complete them and then transmit them back to your professors for grading."  
'You can really do that?' Tessa asked, sitting up a little more.  
"I would need to confer with one of my technical experts but I believe we can make this work." Optimus reassured her, reasonably confident that the Intel team could make it happen.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Getting the all clear from every direction, Optimus pulled up near some little back blocks rest stop, Hole N" the Rock, and let his passengers out. He was just glad to finally have his comm system fully operational again, linking him back in with the wider Autobot network across the country. For now though, he didn't check in with anyone else, he needed to maintain his focus on the Yeager family.

He watched silently as Cade used the stolen minidrone to try and withdraw money from an ATM, only to find that his account had been locked out. Turning the drone, Cade flashed the message written on the back of the card at the camera in the machine and flew it back to him as Optimus produced a new holoform and moved to crouch beside Cade.  
'Do not be alarmed, Cade. This is just another holoform.' he grinned, resting one hand on Cade's shoulder. 'Keep watch, I will return shortly.'

Taking a rather circuitous route down from their staging grounds, Optimus slouched a little and relaxed as he wandered among the people, blending in with the few that were around and looking so incredibly normal. Totally calm and relaxed, Optimus accessed one of the many hidden accounts available to them and withdrew a few hundred dollars without concern. Turning and heading into the nearest shop, he purchased a selection of food and drink, along with some other essentials, talking with the cashier as he paid for everything and helped to bag it up neatly. Thanking the man for his help, Optimus turned and left the store, making his way back to his true body as police sirens filled the air. No one paid any attention to him, they were all far too interested in the few people still near the shops.  
'This should keep you all satisfied until we can reach another safe rest stop.' Optimus offered, holding out the bags to Tessa. 'I was not certain if it was necessary but there are a few personal items in the bottom of this bag for you all.'  
'Thank you.' Tessa nodded, setting the bags on his fuel tank and looking inside. 'Come on dad, you need to eat something.'  
'I would ask how you did that, but I don't think I want to know.' Cade sighed, returning the computer to the cab and catching the protein bar Tessa threw at him.  
'Human culture is not complex to replicate. We have spent quite some time hiding and pretending to be ordinary people, so a simple shopping trip is really nothing to be impressed by.' Optimus chuckled, helping to load everything up. 'But we should not linger, I am certain Cemetery Wind has already realised we are here.'  
'So that's how you knew to get those specific items?' Tessa asked, handing up one of the shopping bags and climbing up into the cabin.  
"I have hidden behind the faces of various women over the past year, I have come to understand certain female necessities." Optimus rumbled, scanning around to make sure they had everything before pulling out onto the open highway again. "I hope I did not embarrass you at all."  
'Not at all, I just wasn't expecting it.' Tessa replied, patting his dashboard lightly. 'Thank you.'  
"I will attempt to find a rest stop where you can all wash up. There are clean clothes in a duffel bag behind you." Optimus continued, picking up speed as he flicked a battered old duffle bag from his subspace. "They might not be a great fit but they are clean."  
'Where did that come from? I swear it wasn't there before.' Tessa asked, reaching out to take a look in the bag.  
"Much like humans have pockets to keep things, we too have something like a pocket that can be used to store all manner of items. Most of us are carrying a similar bag of clothing, just in case it is ever needed." Optimus explained, deciding against trying to explain subspace to these people.  
'Aren't you worried about security cameras?' Shane asked, turning to start digging in the bag for clean clothes.  
"Human security systems are easy for us to infiltrate. This would not be the first time I have entered such a system to hide something from Cemetery Wind." Optimus responded, still scanning for a suitable place so the trio could wash and change.

He finally found an out of the way gas station that advertised the required amenities and reported his plan to the scouting teams around him as he turned to pull up among several other trucks in the parking lot. Linking into the security cameras around the building, he tweaked the feed a little so no one would ever know that any of them had ever been here.  
"Here, take this in case you need anything else." Optimus offered, opening his glove box again and flicking his wallet to Cade. "Cash only, we must try to avoid leaving a trail."  
'You're way too good at this hiding thing.' Cade chuckled, tossing his real wallet into the glove box and tucking the new one into his back pocket. 'We'll try to be quick.'  
"I will be over at the wash bays, I could use a scrub as well." Optimus chuckled, waiting for the trio to climb down before heading towards the large bays towards the back of the lot.

Pulling up in an empty bay, Optimus released yet another holoform, this one an older woman with weathered skin and grease stained clothes, sending her around to drop a few coins in the machine before grabbing the sprayer.  
'I've seen some beat down trucks in my time but that's a wreck, lady.' one of the other truckers remarked, looking up from polishing his shiny new rig.  
'Which is exactly why my husband will love it. He'll soon have this baby looking brand new and purring like a kitten.' Optimus chuckled, sweeping the water over aching panels. 'He always gets super excited when his birthday comes around, waiting to see what sort of junker I've found for him to play with.'  
'Wish my wife was like that. She hates it when I have to buy a new part for this truck, anything more than that and she goes mental.' another driver agreed, tending to the wheels of his older model next door.  
'My Arthur knows I'll do whatever I have to so he can have a new project every year.' Optimus chuckled, continuing to scrub at all the aches and pains that had been bothering him since the farm. 'And I enjoy watching him take these old wrecks and make them beautiful.'

Finishing his wash, Optimus pulled out of the bay and settled in the sun, rather enjoying the chance to warm his plating and direct the excess energy into his secondary power systems. Confident that the Yeager's would find him, he headed around to the diesel pumps to refuel and chuckled softly as Tessa returned to him, so much happier now that she was clean and fresh.  
'Do you think dad and Shane will ever get along?' Tessa asked, tossing her dirty clothes up into the cab. 'I want them to get along but I don't know how to help them accept each other.'  
'They will come to terms with each other in their own time, Tessa. Have patience, they will figure this out.' Optimus replied, wrapping one arm around Tessa's shoulders as she continued to fill his tanks. 'Men are stupid, it takes them time to work things out.'  
'Not all men are stupid.' Cade retorted, tossing his bundle up into the cab then settling beside Tessa. 'We're just a little slow sometimes.'  
'A lot slow in some cases.' Optimus laughed, putting the nozzle away and turning back to the pair. 'Anything you need?'  
'I could go for some chocolate. There was none in the bags.' Tessa nodded, turning and climbing up into the cab. 'And a soda would be nice.'  
'Alright, I'll grab a few things.' Optimus chuckled, grinning at Shane as they crossed paths.

Paying for the fuel and picking up a few more supplies, Optimus returned to his true form and pulled out, feeling better with full tanks and clean armour. He still looked like hell but at least he felt far more comfortable. His travelling companions seemed happier too, sharing the food he'd selected and watching the scenery flashing past outside. Optimus couldn't remember when he'd last felt so peaceful, certainly not since coming to earth, despite his best attempts to relax and find a new comfort on this strange organic world.  
"It would be wise if you sealed all open drink containers. My scanners have picked up an approaching vehicle that will suit as a new disguise and the transition may not be smooth." Optimus warned, not really wanting any mishaps while he tried this. "I will warn you when you need to brace for the jolt."  
'What are you talking about?' Cade asked, screwing the lid onto his drink bottle and bracing his hands against the steering wheel.  
"We are able to scan new disguises whenever necessary. This rusty disguise is no longer suitable so I have been watching for a new potential disguise and one is approaching." Optimus explained, locking onto the vehicle and continuing to rumble along. "Think of it like changing clothes but on a much larger scale."

Still trying to make contact with the rest of the Autobots scattered across the country, Optimus closed in on his target vehicle and smiled internally as his companions braced themselves against his interior when they spotted the oncoming white truck. Bracing for what was certain to be a painful transformation, Optimus activated his scanning subsystem and grunted in discomfort as the shift sent up smoke and sparks, fresh pain flaring through his sub-frame and armour. Rocking and jerking, he shed his old appearance for a brand new, shiny finish.  
'Whoa! Oh my god!' Shane yelped, almost knocking himself out on the dashboard.

Never losing speed, Optimus gratefully shed his old form, ignoring the various aches and pains that came up as panels shifted and reformed into new shapes. He was all too happy to abandon his cab-over form for a much more streamlined long-nose outline. Shedding scraps of rusted paint into the wind, his blue and red flames were revealed alongside gleaming chrome and once again he proudly displayed his Autobot symbol where the world could see it. At last he felt like the leader he hadn't been for the last year, now he was ready to step up and regain control of his troops in readiness for the big push against Cemetery Wind.

Engine roaring proudly, he spread his image out to all his Autobots, letting them know that he was back online and fully functional at long last. They didn't need to know about the few subsystems that were still offline, none of those were overly important anyway.  
'That was insane! It was awesome but it was insane!' Shane cried, totally blown away by what had just happened.  
"Speak for yourself." Optimus groaned, definitely feeling the sting of that rapid change.  
'You okay Optimus?' Cade asked, relaxing his grip on the wheel slowly.  
"I will be, Cade. The moving rescan jarred many of my remaining injuries." Optimus replied, downshifting and easing the pace a little. "The damage is minor, my self repair systems will handle the worst of the damage."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Rumbling into the rendezvous site, the Wreckers reunited and looked around to see who else had made it to the rendezvous so far. There were certainly a few surprises, they hadn't expected to see Kup and Hot Rod so soon, or Throttle and his bros, let alone Mirage, Hound and Ratchet. Tank and Blaster had already arrived too, their kids racing over to greet their niblings with such joyous voices. Sending their kids to play, the four rally cars found a quiet place to relax and cuddled up in their bonded pairs, watching their friends and reaffirming their bonds quietly.

Engines roaring as they arrived over the rendezvous, the aerial detachment dropped down and transformed, landing lightly amid their friends and calling out greetings to those they hadn't seen in a while.  
'Oh yeah! Hell yeah! He's back! He's alive! Optimus is here!' Hound roared, unleashing a wave of gunfire into the air.  
'It's about time.' Speedshot grinned, snuggling Topspin and Leadfoot closer to him.  
'He's going to be shocked to see some of those already waiting for him.' Roadbuster chuckled, stretching out behind his mates.  
'Here comes Voodoo and Shard!' Tank called, pointing towards another approaching group.  
'At last, there is hope after all.' Drift remarked, launching off another mesa and shifting into his helicopter mode.  
'Never doubted him.' Revs chuckled, flaring out his wings and following Drift towards the meeting point.

Splitting from his brother, Rictor dropped dangerously low and released his magnetic locks, depositing Bumblebee and Racer near Ratchet before sweeping around, transforming and running off the last of his speed. Ripper and Thunder made their pass a few moments later, dropping Camill and Lightning into the welcoming arms of their uncles before they too transformed and ran off the excess speed.

Plate, Emission and Braidy were next on scene, transforming on the wing and dropping to earth with their daughters in their arms. Next came Daytona, Tar and Dakota, the trio landing lightly on the dirt and releasing their daughters before gaining their feet and calling greetings to those already onsite.  
'I'd almost forgotten how good it was to have everyone around.' Throttle remarked, embracing Braidy warmly. 'Welcome home, bro.'  
'I'm so excited and I just can't hide it.' Bumblebee chirped, holding Rictor and Racer close to his sides. 'I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.'

Rumbling towards the rest of the gathered Autobots, Optimus could hardly believe what his scanners were picking up as he headed deeper into the rendezvous location. His joy only grew as he was joined by Kawasaki, Hammer, Chain and Scorpion, the four mechs running along beside him as their daughters raced towards their cousins.  
'Mister Leader of the free galaxy is back.' Chain laughed, looking up as Drift and Revs swept down to join them.  
'We knew you'd make it.' Kawasaki added, spotting Blade and Beast coming towards them. 'We never doubted you.'  
'We heard your warning. We've been waiting.' Drift nodded, punching Hammer lightly and bowing his head to Optimus.  
'Oh yeah! Boom time!' Hound cheered, jumping down from the rocks and coming towards them.  
'We've got the gang back together.' Speedshot crowed, looking around slowly.

Still the aerial wing kept arriving from every direction, delivering their children into reaching hands and returning to the ground to embrace their brothers with such happiness. Optimus took a few minutes to just sit there and watch the fighters arriving, his spark lifting as the younglings reunited and pulled their parents back into the joy of the full unit. He was a little concerned to see Ratchet without Ironhide or Nimrah beside him but he pushed that thought aside and simply enjoyed the moment.

Shaken out of his thoughts when Cade opened the door and half climbed out to look around at the incredible gathering all around them. Giving a gentle shake, Optimus waited with diminishing patience as the three humans unloaded their belongings and jumped down, moving back to give him space to transform and stand.  
'Humans have asked us to play by their rules. Well, the rules have just changed.' Optimus declared, welcoming Blade and Beast into his arms.  
'Human beings. Bunch of backstabbing weasels.' Hound groused, shedding his weapons as he approached Optimus.  
'Hound, find your inner compass. Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation.' Drift offered, totally calm amidst all the excitement.  
'What the hell are you sayin?' Hound asked, turning to the smaller bot beside him.  
'It's a haiku.' Drift replied, keeping his gaze on Optimus.  
'Cut the crap before I drop a grenade down ya throat.' Hound growled, plucking a grenade from his armour and yanking Drift around.  
'Try it! You'll be dead.' Drift countered, getting out of his swords out and putting the tip to Hound's throat.  
'Oh please, pull it. Please do it.' Hound coaxed, unconcerned about the smaller Samurai bot.  
'You know what? It'd save us so much time.' Bumblebee encouraged, watching the pair closely.  
'Look out below!'

Everyone looked up, various expressions on their faces as Crosshairs made his appearance over the team, parachutes flaring out behind him. But something went wrong, one chute suddenly deflating and sending him into an uncontrollable spin. Pushing through the group carefully, Optimus planted his feet and reached out, bracing for the impact and hoping that his troublesome hip stood up to the added weight. Dropping his weight a little more, he caught Crosshairs safety and set him on his feet, just grateful that the paratrooper had retracted his chutes before impact.  
'Much appreciated Prime.' Crosshairs nodded, his smile growing as Smash raced up and moulded to his side. 'Ah'm okay lil' one.'  
'We were so worried.' Smash uttered, burrowing under his coat.  
'Well raise ya hand if ya thoroughly disenchanted with our little pleasant earth vacation.' Crosshairs sighed, resting one hand on Smash as he pulled one of his firearms and took aim at Cade and his family. 'So who's the stowaway?'  
'Whoa, hey, what's with the gun?' Cade asked, keeping Shane and Tessa behind him as Hound rolled into position and levelled one of his largest weapons at them.  
'Stop! Hound! Both of you!' Optimus ordered, moving closer to Hound's back. 'They've risked their lives for mine. We owe them.'  
'Yeah, not all humans are against ya!' Lennox called, dropping down from where he'd been hiding behind Ratchet. 'These bastards threatened my family too!'  
'Colonel Lennox, I did not expect to see you again.' Optimus rumbled, sinking down to one knee.  
'The feeling is mutual. You pissed off without so much as a goodbye and almost a year later, my family is ripped from their beds and threatened with death. I'm just thankful that Ironhide was able to pull off a deal that kept my ladies safe.' Lennox growled, turning to Cade and his family and offering his hand. 'Name's William Lennox, I've known these bolt buckets for several years.'  
'Usually they don't cut and run from friends but times change.' Sam added, jumping down from Mirage's extended hand. 'I'm Sam Witwicky, the first human to make contact with the Autobots. I don't know who is responsible but they will pay for threatening my wife and son.'  
'This is becoming a concerning trend.' Slash remarked, looking up at his older brother. 'Three families, each with the same story to tell.'  
'Just goes to show Cemetery Wind is a bigger concern than we allowed for.' Blade sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'We can argue about who did what latter, Colonel. Right now, I suggest we find shelter and get some fires going while we wait for the rest of the team to arrive.'  
'At least you know your wife and daughter are safe, Colonel. Show some compassion for those of us with no such promise.' Ratchet added, dropping back to his wheels. "Come on, I'd rather not be in the open when the next satellite passes over."

#~#+^*^+#~#

Setting camp near the largest mesa in the area, the Autobots set several fires and spread out, scratching out their spots in the dirt as they waited for the few stragglers to arrive on scene. There was still hope but they all worried that those who had yet to arrive would never make it to the rendezvous.  
'Has anyone heard anything from those still absent?' Optimus asked, looking around the gathering slowly.  
'Falcon said he'd be here tomorrow around midday.' Bits replied, looking up from his peacefully recharging daughter.  
'Sunstreaker and Sideswipe reckon they'll make it late tomorrow.' Streaks reported, shuffling his wings quickly.  
'Fang and Fog should be here soon, Fang wanted to check on something first.' Shift offered, holding Gear Grinder close.  
'No word from Wheeljack or Perceptor, I'm worried about them.' Bandana sighed, rearranging his rotors and laying back.  
'The Knight brothers should be close, they were just finishing up some plan when we passed them.' Tank added, rocking Eject and Rewind slowly.  
'Prowl and Jazz still have a long way to go. They're estimating to make it by tomorrow night.' Thunder briefed, concern in his dark blue optics.  
'Anyone heard from Terry and Steve?' Blade enquired, worried for their youngest fliers.  
'Been silent for the last six months. Been tryin' to re-establish contact but nothin'.' Braid rumbled, rocking his younger twins slowly. 'Ain't like 'em to just disappear.'  
'That is concerning.' Optimus agreed, sharing a worried look with Blade.  
'What about Ironhide and Nimrah?' Kup asked, turning his attention to Ratchet. 'Where are they?'  
'Nimrah is at safe house 41 with Sarah and Annabelle Lennox. Ironhide traded his freedom to ensure the safety of myself, Nimrah and the Lennox family, we fled Mississippi and didn't stop until we reached the safe house. Before we were torn apart, Ironhide made Nimrah promise that she would watch over Annabelle as faithfully as he watched over the Lennox family previously. She refused to leave them when we got the call to rendezvous with the main force so I let her stay and guard the women.' Ratchet explained, looking away quickly. 'I cannot read where Ironhide is located.'

Recognising that something was deeply hurting Ratchet, Optimus moved to kneel beside him, reaching out to wrap one heavy arm around trembling shoulders. It wasn't much but the weight seemed to bring some comfort to Ratchet, some illusion of security and safety when his world was upside down.  
'He traded Intel for our safety, promising your location if Lockdown released Nimrah and I. he also showed the humans the locations of several Autobots in trade for the safety of the Lennox family.' Ratchet continued, looking up at Optimus.  
'That traitor!' Hound snarled, bristling with fury over Ironhide's apparent betrayal.  
'Ironhide is no traitor! He's still got his Guardsman Protocols! They might be ancient but they still function. His locator system is completely messed up, he doesn't even know where he is!' Ratchet shot back, lurching to his feet. 'He did what he had to do to protect his loved ones.'  
'I thought the Guardsman Protocols were removed millennia ago.' Optimus uttered, holding Ratchet back from doing something he would regret. 'Can you even get close to guessing where he is being held?'  
'I've been trying ever since he was taken but no matter what I try, I keep getting different and strange locations. The only way we'll ever know for certain where he is, is if someone else reports his location to us.' Ratchet sighed, sinking back down slowly. 'The last time I tried to get his location, he told me he was 5.291 kilometres beneath Sydney, Australia.'  
'And without a hardline connection from a direct superior, he can't shut off the Protocols.' Kup added, moving to sit near Ratchet. 'We'll find him, somehow.'

Spotting something unusual in the flickers from the nearest fire, Revs pushed to his feet and moved closer to Crosshairs, peering at the ragged scars marring his long coat. They didn't look like battle scars but Revs couldn't think of any other reason for the damage.  
'There was an accident, Smash ended up hurt so I did what I could to help her. Take a look at her left thigh, she's still got the marks from the injury.' Crosshairs drawled, letting Revs look his fill at the scars. 'Kinda proud of those scars actually.'  
'She's fine Revs, as ya can see. We had a difference of opinion and she came too close to the fight. Snapped her left thigh but the nanites Crosshairs gave patched her up real good.' Sidewinder added, pointing over to where Smash was playing with Roars and Harley.  
'She doesn't appear to be favouring her left leg but I'd still like to run a few scans.' Revs nodded, watching the kids playing some innocent little game.  
'Smash, c'mon over here for a moment.' Crosshairs called, patting his thigh lightly.  
'Okay Crosshairs.' Smash grinned, skating away from her cousins and dropping down in Crosshairs' lap. 'Cuddles!'  
'Whatever you want, sweetie.' Crosshairs agreed, ignoring the stares from all around as he wrapped her in his arms. 'Nice and still, sweetie. Revs wants to make sure your leg is fixed properly. But I'll be right here, okay?'  
'It doesn't hurt anymore, Uncle Revs.' Smash insisted, snuggling closer to Crosshairs.  
'Now that really is too fraggin' adorable.' Hound muttered, earning a hard glare from Crosshairs.

Settled on a couple of suitable logs near one of the fires, the human contingent watched the Autobots relaxing and unwinding, laughter flowing a little easier now that so many of them were reunited. There was still tension in the air but it was nowhere near as thick or heavy, reassuring Will and Sam that everything would be okay eventually.  
'So that's our best case scenario? Autobot witness protection?' Shane asked, looking towards Cade and Tessa, now wrapped in a couple of light blankets Ratchet had given them.  
'Hey, speed racer, you're welcome to leave anytime.' Cade replied, shaking his head slowly.  
'Well, for the record super dad, I'm not hiding with you. I'm hiding out with that big guy.' Shane countered, pointing up at Optimus.  
'No, you'll stick with whoever you're assigned.' Blade countered, resting one hand on Optimus' shoulder. 'Fastest way for humans to die is to stay too close to the biggest targets.'  
'Don't argue, just do as you're told. You'll live longer that way.' Lennox agreed, poking at the fire between them. 'Lost a lot of good men trying to stay too close to the big five. It's a little more complicated with so many around now but the best advise I can give is to keep your distance from Optimus, Blade, Ratchet, Ironhide, Slash and the Wreckers.'  
'I'd put Hound and Crosshairs on that list too.' Sam remarked, lifting his gaze from the flames slowly. 'We've both seen what they're capable of.'  
'Let's just be real smart and drop the humans off at a safe house somewhere. This is far too dangerous for civilians.' Slash offered, looking up at the emerging stars. 'Normally I'd say too dangerous for humans but Lennox and Sam have both proven more than a challenge for our enemies, both flesh and steel.'  
'No, we keep them close to us. Cade is a gifted mechanic, he is the reason I am alive now. Shane is more than capable of acting as a decoy driver, you saw him in action Slash.' Optimus insisted, looking down at the humans with a faint smile. 'Tessa keeps them both under control and has become vital in furthering my human camouflage.'  
'Alright but Lennox is responsible for keeping them safe.' Blade agreed, turning his attention to Lennox. 'Unless you don't want to keep them safe.'  
'I'll do my best to keep them safe. I'm still pissed that you left us but I'll still do right by you all.' Lennox nodded, looking around at his new friends. 'If anyone objects to following my lead in this, fuck off now. The nearest highway is that way.'  
'Straight to the point. It's no wonder Ironhide likes you so much.' Ratchet smiled, turning his attention to Lennox.

Everyone looked up as three more jets raced overhead before starting to circle the gathering expectantly. Getting up, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo raised their arms, bracing their weight and welcoming Blaze, Fibre and Thump back into the family group. Circling again, the three jets transformed and glided down on repositioned thrusters, moving quickly through the group to take up places near Optimus and Blade.  
'You three seem excited.' Optimus remarked, wondering just what these three had been up to.  
'Sitrep.' Blade requested, putting the trio out of their misery before they suffered spark failure.  
'We started out by simply trying to confuse Cemetery Wind and the CIA by doing a mirror hack. We made it look like Cemetery Wind was hacking the CIA and stealing money at the same time as the CIA was hacking Cemetery Wind and doing the same thing.' Black started, barely able to contain his amusement at this stunt.  
'But we decided that wasn't going to stop either agency for long so we added in a few more hacking into both organisations.' Carbon added, practically vibrating with excitement. 'FBI, OCIC, CGI, HSI, TFI, DIA, NSA, NGA, MCIA, ONI, NASIC, INSCOM, NGIC and the DEA.'  
'We've created the ultimate hack web. Sixteen government agencies and thirty-four civilian hackers are all in a crazy web of hack and counter-hack. So far no one has any idea who started the hacking or where a large portion of the Cemetery Wind finding and supplies have disappeared to.' Speed chuckled, so proud of what they had created.  
'Whoa, back up a moment. Want to run through all those organisations again? I think I missed a few.' Cade requested, still trying to wrap his head around what he was hearing.  
'Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Coast Guard Intelligence, Homeland Security Investigations.' Black listed, turning his attention to Cade.  
'Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.' Carbon picked up the list, also turning to Cade with a grin.  
'Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, Office of Naval Intelligence, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command, National Ground Intelligence Center and the Drug Enforcement Administration.' Speed finished with glee, looking up at Optimus and Blade for confirmation of a job well done.

For a few moments there was silence but that shattered when Optimus let out a deep, rolling laugh as he reached out to clap the brothers on the shoulder. Optimus had always known that these three were skilled with hacking and computer espionage but this was far beyond anything Optimus had thought they were capable of. Even he was confused just trying to understand what they had done.  
'Remind me to never, ever get on your bad sides.' Optimus chuckled, so incredibly proud of the three. 'You have all done excellent work, far beyond anything that I expected possible. Well done, you have done a great service to the cause.'  
'We're not done yet, Optimus.' Black warned, displaying a holographic bank sheet. 'We've managed to leech out almost nine million from the CIA and Cemetery Wind so far, along with tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in a massive variety of calibres.'  
'There might just be enough to keep Hound in ammo for a year.' Speed teased, glancing towards the heavyset green. 'Certainly nine months, possibly ten.'  
'Speed, you know it's not wise to piss off the heavy gunners.' Speedshot warned, flaring out his weapons in a glorious stretch.

Speed took the warning with good grace, backing up a step and grinning at Hound. But a few others in the gathering didn't listen or simply didn't care about the perceived warning from the darkest Wrecker.  
'Sensei, with your fate unknown Bumblebee has attempted to hold command despite his complete and total lack of anything resembling warrior discipline.' Drift challenged, pointing one large sword at Bee's turned back. 'He's like a child.'  
'This child is about to kick yo ass.' Bee countered, getting up and stalking towards Drift.  
'He brings us shame.' Drift continued, leaning on his sword and looking towards the humans.  
'Kick his ass Bee!' Sam called, backing his friend as fists started flying.  
'Cage fight.' Hound uttered, making sure to keep Mirage behind him.  
'Smart ass.' Drift shot back, kicking Bee clear and picking up his sword again.  
'What's the matter with them?' Tessa asked, watching the fight in disbelief.  
'Without my dad to balance things out, personalities are clashing.' Beast replied, taking up a position near the humans, ready to defend them from danger.

Then Drift made a potentially fatal mistake, crossing his swords around Bee's throat and drawing one slowly across the plating covering Bee's jaw as he spoke. Little did he know just how big of a mistake that would turn out to be.  
'Am I the lone sage who sees through this puppy dog eyes act? It's beneath you.' Drift warned, totally focused on Bee.  
'Yes, I've been waiting for them all to dispatch each other so I could take charge with no trouble at all.' Crosshairs declared, spinning out one of his side arms. 'Just me, reporting to me.'  
'You stay out of this, Crosshairs. Before you become a pile of parts.' Sidewinder warned, grabbing Crosshairs' coat and pulling him back.  
'Well it sure looks like you've been missed.' Cade remarked, turning to look up at Optimus.

Reminding everyone why he was such a successful scout, Rictor made his move and crept up behind the blue samurai. Extending one hand, he activated a hidden system and chuckled as Drift went completely still and groaned, struggling against the hold on his frame.  
'What is this?' Drift managed, optics widening as he was forced to release Bumblebee and drop his weapons.  
'This is why you don't ever threaten my mate.' Rictor replied, forcing Drift to his feet. 'I can make your systems believe what isn't real and miss what is right in front of you.'  
'Rictor, let him go. I'm not hurt.' Bee sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'Remember this moment, Drift. I could make you do anything and there's nothing you can do about it.' Rictor snarled, sending Drift sprawling in the dirt and turning back to Bee. 'You know I don't like it when people threaten you.'

Knowing that there was little he could do about all the jagged personalities right now, Optimus turned their focus to a bigger and far more concerning issue. Tomorrow he could work on soothing battered egos and re-establishing the pecking order, right now they needed a plan.  
'Autobots, Lockdown is hunting us and humans are helping. We need to know why.' Optimus demanded, drawing all attention back to him.  
'Well listen, I don't know why but I have an idea about who.' Cade offered, looking up at the Autobots all around him.  
'We bring troubling news, Optimus.' Fang called, making his way into the gathering with Fog and their daughters. 'I expect a full briefing later Black.'  
'We made you proud, Leak.' Black promised, stretching out his wings as he shifted on his rocky seat and tucked his younger brothers closer to him.  
'What have you heard, Fang?' Blade asked, glancing towards the three dark mechs. 'You have all done a great service to the Autobot cause.'  
'It's not good, Blade. It's got to do with teams 19 and 28.' Fang sighed, hanging his head sadly.  
'You've seen Ironhide?' Ratchet asked, pushing to his feet again.  
'Ratchet? I thought for sure you were in deep slag with Ironhide.' Fang gasped, turning to the older medic. 'Is Nimrah safe?'  
'She's safe, guarding Sarah and Annabelle Lennox at safe house 41.' Ratchet confirmed, rubbing his chest lightly. 'What's Ironhide's status?'  
'He's still online, our enemies are keeping him fuelled up and active.' Fang nodded, letting his shoulders droop a little.  
'Hey, bolt bucket! Cade was talking before you wandered in!' Lennox yelled, drawing Fang's attention down to them. 'Show some respect, Fang!'  
'Oops, sorry about that Cade.' Fang offered, sinking down to one knee. 'Perhaps your Intel will help make sense of what I learned.'  
'I captured a minidrone when Cemetery Wind attacked my home, it's got some concerning video saved in the memory.' Cade guided, turning and hurrying over to where he'd left their belongings. 'Not sure it'll help but maybe there's something.'

Retrieving the drone, Cade was definitely surprised when Fang transformed and opened the cockpit canopy, welcoming him to take a seat within the deadly F-14 dressed in blue and white. Hooking up the drone to the provided AV cables hidden behind one of the cockpit control panels, he settled back in the seat and watched the clips he'd managed to secure. He didn't recognise some of the Autobots in the footage but looking around, he could see that all the Autobots around him were uncomfortable.

The first clip showed that fateful night that Ratchet's family had been torn apart. Chirring softly, Ratchet looked away and shuddered, unable to stand listening to the screams of his little girl or Ironhide's desperate pleading for his family to be released. He jumped a little when unfamiliar arms wrapped around him, but soon relaxed when he recognised Revs was there for him, trying to protect him from reliving the horrors.

The footage changed, showing two reshaped fighters, backs together as they tried to defend themselves from a circle of Cemetery Wind vehicles. By their feet, two motorcycles lay curled up, bright green and purple fluids spreading out around them. The two jets weren't giving in though, firing hard even as some sort of weird glow flared and faded around them.  
'This drone I stole recorded footage of an Autobot raid. Some pieces, but watch what happens here.' Cade explained, forcing his eyes to stay on the horrific scene.  
'That's Stephen and Terrence.' Kup uttered, clutching Hot Rod closer to him. 'That flash…their secondaries were overloaded.'

Another change, this time displaying the Wreckers engaged in a fight for their lives, returning fire and covering each other as their kids huddled behind them. There were soft flashes all around them, demonstrating the strength of their shielding but suddenly Leadfoot's shield flared and flickered out. Stumbling back, he dropped as the Cemetery Wind goons concentrated fire on him until Speedshot moved to stand in front of him.  
'Cemetery Wind tried their hardest to take us out but we managed to escape with minimal damage. Broke contact and fled south-west until taking shelter in an abandoned factory. We were able to use pieces from the factory to repair Leadfoot but his shield is still offline.' Topspin briefed, keeping watch over his family as Speedshot drew Leadfoot closer to him.

Another location, two more jets down on the ground, their daughters huddled between them as gunfire ripped up the ground all around them. The incoming fire seemed far more focused in this clip, concentrating on the chest of the slightly taller one until he flared then the fire switched to the second fighter.  
'That's Bandit and Torque. No mistaking their bonding brands.' Blade confirmed, shaking his head slowly as Optimus looked away from the display.  
'They rip them apart.' Cade warned, relaxing into the seat a little more.  
'Savages.' Hound rumbled, tucking Mirage in closer to his side as he slipped off his extra helm.  
'And later this truck comes to haul them off. KSI, Kinetic Solutions. Defence, aerospace, government contracts, and they designed this drone.' Cade continued, holding up the drone.  
'So these government guys just hunt you down and then pass you off to this KSI?' Shane asked, looking up for answers.  
'The company is headquartered in Chicago. Could be where they were taken.' Cade nodded, patting Fang's armour lightly. 'Any of this fitting yet?'  
"Actually, yeah." Fang replied, producing a male holoform on the wing of his alt mode. 'I found this footage in an orphan ghost link, completely detached from anything to give me any clues about its origin. Whoever set it up had serious skills with ghosting links but now that I've got a potential source, I should be able to track it back to a real location. I give you fair warning though, this isn't pretty.'  
'Play the footage, Fang.' Optimus directed, taking a knee and bracing for the worst.

For a moment there was nothing but white but with a flicker, the true horror was revealed to the gathered Autobots and their allies. This feed looked into a large room by human standards but to Autobots it was tiny. But this room was pure white, no windows or obvious doors to break up the blandness of the environment. And there, pacing anxiously but somehow kept separate, nine of their missing comrades showed various signs of being trapped in this void for far too long.

Stephen and Terrence clung to each other in one corner, reaching out to their little girls but some sort of invisible barrier stopped the desperate fathers from reaching their terrified daughters. Starlight and Brightstar huddled close, their bodies so totally entangled that no one could be sure where one finished and the other began. They would reach out to their fathers, faces twisted in fear and panic but that invisible barrier would spark against their reaching hands and force them to recoil from their fathers. All four showed signs of the hard battle they had fought, deep wounds marring their finished and dried energon and coolant staining their finishes.  
'That's just sick. They're just scared little kids. How could anyone do this?' Ripper whispered, clutching Camill to his chest and keeping her turned away from the footage.  
'We'll find you, just hold on a little longer, guys. Be strong, we will get you out of this.' Blade promised, wrapping his arms around Optimus' shoulders.

Bandit and Torque knelt in the opposite corner, chunks missing from their wings and looking like they had gone five rounds with Megatron. Rocking slowly, they reached out for their daughters, fingers sparking against another barrier preventing them from making contact. Wrench and Smokey were just as battered, tear tracks on their faces as they tried so desperately to reach their fathers despite their severe injuries.  
'These people have to be stopped. They're just kids, this is cruelty of the highest degree.' Shard sighed, pressing closer to Voodoo and holding their daughters so close.  
'We won't leave you to suffer. We'll find you bros, just hold on until we get there.' Throttle growled, soothing Lady with a touch as he looked at his bros.

Ironhide had a little more space, pacing jerkily between the two unoccupied corners but it was clear that he was in bad shape too. Every armour panel was dented, scratched and streaked with a variety of fluids. Even though he looked bad, the greatest concern was just how twitchy and unstable he appeared to be. He also kept pawing at his chest, rubbing at something but the resolution wasn't good enough to tell exactly what it was.  
'What's wrong with Ironhide? This isn't like him at all.' Slash gasped, turning to Ratchet for answers. 'Did the humans do something to him?'  
'No, this is normal. This is what happens when Ironhide is scared out of his processors and has no idea what to do next. There are only two things that can send him into those sorts of tremors, a near death experience…or enclosed spaces.' Ratchet replied, still clinging to Revs for support and comfort. 'He's been in their custody for almost two months, he's barely holding on.'  
'So why does he keep rubbing at his chest?' Tessa asked, staring at the display in horror.  
'It's not random, he's tracing the bonding brand over and over. He's trying to hold on to the last tangible reminder of his family, Ratchet's glyph carved into the heavy armour. It's the Autobot equivalent of playing with a wedding band.' Lennox explained, thinking back to a conversation he'd shared with Ironhide after his return from the dead.  
'He's scared and lonely, his Guardsman Protocols are only making this worse. With those damned protocols engaged, I can't breach the walls and connect with him and his location system is feeding him all kinds of weird data.' Ratchet added, looking up at the footage again. 'We have to get him out, Prime. He's on the edge, he won't last much longer before he does something drastic or stupid. I can't save him with those Protocols in place.'

Signalling for Fang to cut the display, Optimus stood and turned to the gathered team, caught in a sticky situation and trying to come up with a safe answer to all their current problems. At least now they had a target, but no solid plan about how exactly to breach KSI and rescue their comrades from hell.  
'So, Chicago is our next target. This is gonna be rough.' Blade sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'No way to get inside without a battle.' Hound warned, going over the data on KSI that the Intel team had already gathered.  
'Well, what if you had some human help?' Cade asked, climbing down from Fang.  
'What are you two partners now?' Tessa questioned, giving her father a dirty look.  
'Sweetie, we're targets now too. We need to know why or we never get our lives back.' Cade replied, walking over to his daughter.  
'Autobots, I have sworn to never kill humans,' Optimus started, shifting uncomfortably on his feet as he pressed closer to Blade.  
'Big mistake.' Hound muttered, looking down at Mirage sadly.  
'But when I find out who is behind this, he's going to die.' Optimus finished, crouching to scoop Blade up and cuddle her close.  
'Hooh-Ah!' Hound cried, looking forward to finally getting some payback.  
'Ratchet, you know Ironhide better than any of us. Do you believe it will be safe for us to wait for everyone to arrive before we head for Chicago or should we leave immediately and inform the stragglers of a new destination?' Blade asked, turning his understanding gaze to the shaken medic. '24 hours, that's all we need for the last to arrive.'  
'I can't say for certain, Blade. The footage showed that he was in severe distress, but I will continue my efforts to break the block and re-establish contact with him. Ironhide is tough, we should be safe to wait.' Ratchet sighed, shuddering in distress. 'But I insist that we depart as soon as the last straggler arrives within the location.'  
'Here, this might help you break through.' Optimus offered, transmitting Ratchet a long, complex code. 'Try sending it along the bond with an order to allow basic access.'  
'I'll give it a try.' Ratchet nodded, turning away slowly. 'In the morning, I need some rest.'  
'Get some rest, all of you. Tomorrow we make our plans and prepare for war. We could all use some rest and a chance for repairs.' Optimus nodded, leaning into Blade a little more. 'I will need one of you four to take a look at my left hip gimbals tomorrow.'  
'I got it covered.' Revs called, taking the weight off Ratchet's shoulders. 'You need to focus on breaking through to Ironhide, let us handle the minor injuries for now.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Letting the fires burn low, the Autobots spread out and settled on the hard ground, pulling pillows and blankets from subspace to make the night all the more comfortable. The five humans weren't forgotten about either, pulling out sleeping bags and pillows for them and setting them out near the best of the bonfires in the area. Standing on one of the logs, not quite ready to turn in for the night, Cade watched as the Autobots shuffled and snuggled, somehow making it look totally natural as they stretched out on the ground.

In that moment, they looked so close to human as they found their comfortable positions and tugged their blankets up to cover them. Until now, Cade had simply thought of them as alien machines but now he was realising that there was a lot more going on and their culture was far more complex than he had ever anticipated.  
'Amazing, isn't it? These are giant alien robots from a planet completely the opposite of Earth and yet, they settle down to sleep just like we do.' Lennox chuckled, climbing up to stand beside Cade. 'They family oriented and feel the same emotions as we do.'  
'Yeah, I'm noticing that. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this. Just last week, I was an inventor working out of my barn to put my daughter through school.' Cade nodded, looking around slowly. 'I can't help but wonder if any of them know that struggle.'  
'Okay, we're definitely keeping you away from Wheeljack.' Lennox chuckled, resting one hand on Cade's shoulder. 'He's a single father but he's faced a universe of trouble raising his son.'  
'Don't try and wrap your head around too much. Took me years to accept that any one of them could potentially carry a child. Gender ain't a big deal with these guys.' Sam added, joining them on the log. 'Keep it quiet but Mirage is actually carrying. He told me on the trip over.'  
'Damn, that's gonna take him off the front lines.' Lennox uttered, shaking his head slowly.

Falling quiet, the three fathers watched over the Autobots as they went still and relaxed, a serene peace drifting across the terrain as the weary soldiers finally took a chance to unwind and relax fully. Looking closer, each proud father could see reminders of their own children in the innocence of the younglings huddled close to their parents for safety and protection.  
'Get some rest you two, tomorrow is sure to be a strange day.' Lennox warned, stepping down and heading for his sleeping bag.  
'Life around Autobots is always weird. You get used to it.' Sam agreed, also heading for some much needed rest.


	25. Rendezvous 32 Day 2

Woken by the rising sun, Cade yawned and scrubbed at his eyes as he sat up. Looking towards Tessa, he smiled tiredly at the sight of Lennox and Sam bracketing her, preventing Shane from getting anywhere near his daughter. Well at least that was one less thing to worry about right now, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to keep a sharp eye on Shane. He didn't want that guy getting any ideas about his little girl.

Wriggling out of his sleeping bag and reaching for his shoes, Cade looked around slowly and smiled as he watched the Autobots still deep in peaceful slumber. Some were up and about, scuff marks in the dirt all that remained to show where they had spent the night. He automatically looked around for Optimus, having grown quite fond of the massive Autobot leader. There he was, flat on his back with Blade half draped over him and Beast curled in against his side comfortably. Cade still couldn't believe just how close to human these mighty alien robots actually were and he mentally apologised for not realising it sooner.

Getting to his feet and shouldering into his shirt against the early morning chill, he turned and froze at the sight of four people moving about near a rather large marquee. One looked vaguely familiar; a flicker of memory trying to connect the dots but it was far too early for this.  
'Mornin' Cade. Coffee is just about ready.' one called, the voice somewhat familiar.  
'We spent a lot of time at tailgate parties while we were following the NASCAR circuit. This is the result.' another explained, coming towards him, her red shirt catching Cade's focus briefly.  
'Leadfoot?' Cade asked, looking closer at the woman.  
'Yeah, but this form is called Laurie.' she chuckled, guiding him to the nearest seat. 'That's Stevie in black, Troy in blue and Robbie in green.'  
'Speedshot, Topspin and Roadbuster.' Cade nodded, finally getting his brain in gear.  
'Nicely done, Cade. Here, drink up.' Robbie grinned, pressing a well loved travel mug into his hands. 'Breakfast should be ready soon.'

Sipping the steaming coffee, Cade let his gaze drift and smiled as he witnessed the early morning routines of various Autobots as the sun broke across their campsite in glorious waves. Lifting his gaze, he saw something a little strange but relaxed when no one reacted negatively to the jets easing towards the camp. The dawn highlighted their lines and angles, drawing Cade's attention to two absolutely tiny fighters tucked in beside the larger pair as they drifted down and transformed just a few feet above the ground, revealing two motorcycles that had been hidden against the larger jets.  
'That's Braid and Christine with their four kids. Hunk and Rebel are the motorbikes, Tracer and Drift the mini fighters.' Robbie explained, looking up from the grill. 'Christine is the slighter of the two, but don't let that fool ya. She's a mean girl who takes no shit from anyone.'  
'I'll keep that in mind.' Cade nodded, getting to his feet and stepping out to say hello to the new arrivals in camp.

But that plan went out the window when a rather loud engine backfire shattered the peace of the morning. It was loud enough to wake the rest of the humans and bring Autobots running from every direction, weapons out as they searched for the source of the noise.  
'Primus be damned, that's just nasty Optimus.' Blade growled, rocking to his feet and backing away quickly, their blanket still tangled around his wings.  
'Daddy, you stink!' Beast griped, skating away from Optimus to huddle against Blade's leg.  
'Forgive me, I had some bad diesel yesterday. It appears that it does not agree with my systems.' Optimus replied, sitting up slowly. 'There is nothing to be concerned about.'  
'Nothing to be concerned about my aft.' Revs replied, helping Blade unhook the blanket. 'I'll take a look at your fuel system once I've patched your hip.'  
'All this time and I'm still learning new things.' Lennox remarked, running one hand through his hair and yawning wide. 'No one mentioned you guys fart.'  
'We also burp, it's no big deal.' Blade shrugged, stretching out his wings. 'I could have sworn that you were aware of that, Lennox.'  
'The burping, yeah. Ironhide demonstrated that one after Mission City by burping the entire Cybertronian alphabet.' Lennox chuckled, still amused by the memory. 'Not only was it funny as hell, it was also enlightening. Fifty-seven letters, that's quite an achievement.'  
'There are actually three alphabets that we use, he used the base alphabet.' Kup explained, securing his weapon and turning to kneel near the humans. 'The high alphabet contains 71 letters, there aren't many here who could use it. Then there's the ancient alphabet, 105 letters in total. There's only two of us that can still use the ancient letters.'  
'A demonstration is not necessary, Kup.' Optimus sighed, sinking back down with a groan. 'I have not used the ancient letters for millennia.'  
'Wasn't gonna suggest it, Prime. When the humans can write and understand base, I might consider somethin'.' Kup shrugged, pushing back to his feet. 'We've got plenty of time.'  
'Maybe not as long as you think, Kup.' Lennox countered, picking up a stick and moving to a clear patch of ground.

Trying to remember everything Ironhide had taught him about their written language, William started with something easy, writing his name out in their glyphs and adding the military signifier underneath it. Moving over a bit more, he scratched out Ironhide's name and signifier with the same precise care. Picking another spot, he carved Ratchet's designation into the dirt in a gentle curve around the medical signifier. Moving out to a larger spot of undisturbed dirt, he etched out the complicated design of Optimus' name and multitude of signifiers he had earned over his lifetime.  
'Alright Colonel, stop showing off.' Stevie laughed, looking at his work. 'Go on, breakfast is ready and the coffee pot is boiling.'  
'We'll get rid of the evidence.' Phantom offered, moving to stand between the marquee and the designs William had left behind. 'It's about to get a little windy people so watch out.'  
'We'll aim for a south-east breeze so move if you don't want to wear it.' Choke added, turning around and flaring out his rotors.  
'Well, if I can't burn the evidence, blowing it away works too.' Lennox smirked, taking a seat and tucking into his breakfast.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cursing his rotten luck on several counts, Crosshairs retreated from the main campsite and tried to relax but that was almost impossible in his current state. Of all the Primus damned times for this to happen, he was no stuck in an extremely uncomfortable situation with no clear answers. He settled for dropping down on a large boulder, his back to the camp as his internal fans kicked in, trying to bring down his core temperature. It was pointless really, he knew the fans wouldn't do much but he couldn't shut them off.

He was honestly surprised no one had smelled him out last night, especially Prime after that perfectly timed catch but some how he'd gotten away clean. He just wasn't sure how much longer he could last before someone realised the problem and offered to help him with it. Primus, he really didn't want to have to explain his malfunction to anyone right now, especially not if there was a chance the humans might overhear and start asking all sorts of awkward questions.  
'Of all the rotten times.' Crosshairs sighed, hanging his head and trying to come up with a solution. 'Why'd this have ta happen ta me of all bots?'  
'You okay, Crosshairs?' Ratchet asked, coming up behind him. 'Prime's worried that you wandered off.'  
'Yeah, I'm okay.' Crosshairs nodded, looking back at the medic. 'Just needed some time alone.'  
'Sadly, until this threat is dealt with it's just not safe to be alone.' Ratchet sighed, coming closer and taking a seat beside Crosshairs. 'Besides, I can smell you from an earth mile away.'  
'Slag it to the Pit!' Crosshairs snarled, whirling to face the older medic. 'I suppose I should be grateful that ya didn't say anythin' until now.'  
'It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Mirage and Prowl are both dealing with similar, along with several members of the aerial force.' Ratchet soothed, meeting Crosshairs' startled gaze and smiling faintly. 'I had to deal with one last month, made it more of a challenge to watch over the Lennox's and Nimrah.'  
'It ain't the same and ya know it, Ratchet. Ya forgettin' about mah malfunction.' Crosshairs spat, turning his face away and rubbing at his chest. 'I'd give anythin' to be normal.'  
'I hadn't forgotten, Crosshairs.' Ratchet sighed, reaching out to rest one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'I know we're at war but there must be someone who has caught your attention. Someone who can help ease this burden on you?'  
'Gonna play matchmaker now, are ya?' Crosshairs sighed, far too uncomfortable in his own plating to argue right now.  
'I'll do whatever I must to help you, Crosshairs. You know that.' Ratchet hummed, looking back towards the rest of the Autobots. 'I hate that I can't fix this, no matter how skilled everyone else says I am. This is one injury I can't repair.'  
'It ain't ya fault, Ratchet, it never was.' Crosshairs replied, resting one hand over Ratchet's and dimming his optics. 'Ya made it easier ta handle mah issues and for that, I thank ya.'  
'Come on, there has to be someone that you're interested in. Let me help in the only way I can.' Ratchet coaxed, determined to help Crosshairs through this mess.  
'Promise ya won't laugh?' Crosshairs asked, his tone reminding Ratchet just how young and inexperienced Crosshairs was in matters like this.

Getting to his feet, Ratchet came around and pulled Crosshairs to his feet, holding him by the shoulders and squeezing gently. It wasn't even close to a hug but this was familiar to them both, Ratchet had often offered comfort to the young paratrooper in the same way.  
'Crosshairs, I've only ever wanted the best for all of my friends. Besides, I'm hardly in a position to make any comments about unlikely love interests.' Ratchet chuckled, doing what he could to lighten the mood. 'Talk to me, Crosshairs, let me help.'  
'It's…Sidewinder. There's somethin' about him that makes me wanna know more about him.' Crosshairs admitted, hanging his head. 'Not sure why or what, but…'  
'Say no more, I understand.' Ratchet smiled, seeing the potential in the union. 'Are you absolutely sure about this? I don't want you stuck in a relationship that isn't good for you.'  
'It feels right, Ratchet. We've had our moments but the anger always passes quickly. He knows about this heat cycle and offered a temp solution. He's the one, Ah'm just nervous about askin' him for this.' Crosshairs nodded, lifting his gaze slowly.  
'Alright, I'll talk to him. Nothing too serious, just explain what's going on and about your spark. But you need to be willing to show him that soft side I know you're hiding inside. Court him, I have a good feeling that he'll match your steps.' Ratchet coached, considering the possibilities and finding no reasons to worry about this potential bond.  
'Ah'm ready for this Ratchet, Ah'm tired of bein' alone. Ah just hope Sidewinder wants this too.' Crosshairs sighed, squaring his shoulders. 'Comm me when ya get his interest piqued. Don't wanna end up courtin' the wrong mech if he's too slow to react.'  
'Smart move. Wait here, I'll let you know how this goes.' Ratchet agreed, squeezing the bright green armour for a moment before heading back to the main gathering.

Spotting Sidewinder talking to Splat and Raider, Ratchet headed towards them and waited patiently for them to finish discussing some new explosive compound Splat had come up with. Ratchet only understood about half of what they were saying but he had a feeling they were planning to use it against their enemies.  
'You need somethin' Ratchet?' Sidewinder asked, dismissing the other two with a wave. 'We'll go over the details later, bros.'  
'Actually, I wanted to talk to you in private.' Ratchet nodded, looking around slowly.  
'Smash, stay here and play. I'll be right back.' Sidewinder called, glancing towards his daughter for a moment before resting one hand on Ratchet's shoulder. 'Lead the way, Ratchet.'  
'Okay daddy.' Smash replied, looking up from her game with Beast, Racer, Camill and Intruder for just a moment.  
'You're close with Crosshairs, right?' Ratchet asked, guiding Sidewinder away from the main gathering. 'You spent almost a year in isolation with him after all.'  
'Yeah, we've gotten pretty close since Smash's accident. Not sure if he'd consider me his closest friend but I'd like to think we're tight.' Sidewinder nodded, not quite sure what this was all about. 'You goin' somewhere with this Ratchet? I've still got a lot of bros to catch up with.'  
'No doubt you're aware of the fact he's in the midst of a heat cycle at the moment.' Ratchet continued, stopping equidistance from the main group and Crosshairs. 'This will all start making sense soon, just work with me here.'  
'Yeah, I'm aware of that fact. Used my static inducers to help him out a few times but he'd never let me get too close.' Sidewinder sighed, looking over to where Crosshairs was pacing. 'I wish I knew how to help him.'  
'There's a reason he wouldn't let you close and hopefully when you understand that, you'll see how you can help him with this.' Ratchet nodded, also watching Crosshairs pace. 'But you need to be absolutely certain before you take any action.'  
'Alright, now you've really got my attention.' Sidewinder nodded, turning his attention back to Ratchet. 'Help me understand him. I hate watching him suffer.'  
'Crosshairs is a unique case, the only survivor of a rare malfunction that turns up once in every six million sparklings. Some fade out in the first hour after birth, those that survive are normally severely handicapped and require permanent care just to remain online. Somehow Crosshairs not only survived but he's thriving and showing no signs of the normal problems associated with his condition.' Ratchet explained, looking up at Sidewinder. 'We call it a Snap Spark.'  
'Okay, so he's a lucky son of a glitch. You're not really explaining why he won't let me help him. Come on, tell me what I need to know.' Sidewinder coaxed, resting his hands on Ratchet's shoulders. 'I can't sit back and do nothing. I need to know what to do.'  
'A Snap Spark is a dangerous thing, unpredictable and unstable unless the bearer makes a tough choice and gets it right. Crosshairs has to live with the knowledge that one wrong step, one bad decision and he's in for a world of hurt. It's called a Snap Spark because it will quite literally snap onto the first bot to interface with him. Regardless of what the other party wants, the bond will form with that first contact. He's spent all these millions of years terrified to get close to anyone, worried that he wouldn't be able to resist his base nature if he got struck with another heat cycle. But then he ended up stuck with you for a year and he felt safe with you. He let you get close enough to help him but he still didn't feel ready to take that final step.' Ratchet continued, glancing towards Crosshairs again. 'You have to prove that you're willing to do anything for him.'  
'I thought I already had.' Sidewinder uttered, hanging his head sadly. 'I thought I'd already shown him that I would do whatever it took to keep him safe.'  
'Not in the way he understands best.' Ratchet offered, reaching up to rest his hands on Sidewinder's forearms. "Go for it Crosshairs, he wants this."  
"Thanks Ratchet." Crosshairs replied, a soft sound echoing towards them. "Here goes nothin'."  
'The way he understands best? What's that mean?' Sidewinder asked, looking up and around for the source of the music.  
'Watch and learn but don't leave it too long. I can think of a few others that might be interested as well.' Ratchet chuckled, releasing Sidewinder and stepping back. 'I'll try to keep the others back, give you first shot at this one.'

Turning his full attention to Crosshairs again, Sidewinder could only stare in disbelief and wonder as Crosshairs spun and twisted slowly, following the rolling beat of the music lucking at their audios. He looked so perfect in that moment, armour sparkling and coattails twined around him as he danced for all to see. His steps screamed of loneliness and a desire to belong, the music choice supporting those emotions and so much more. He looked so handsome in that moment, coattails flared wide as he spun and leapt, lost in his own little world.

Making his choice, Sidewinder stepped forward and sent a command to one of his many subsystems, his armour clanking and changing shapes as his wings folded in and were absorbed into his back. Shaking out the panels to help them reform, he smoothly traded his wings for wheels, everything shifting and changing to suit his new form. He loved the freedom of flight but he would gladly trade that away to be with Crosshairs and this was the only way he knew to show just how much he cared about the dazzling green mech.

Picking the perfect moment, Sidewinder caught Crosshairs' wrist and pulled him close before spinning them into a new dance. He wasn't sure where he was pulling the steps from, he'd never been one for dance but somehow he knew exactly what to do. Holding Crosshairs close and meeting his stunned gaze, Sidewinder smiled softly and turned a lonesome dance into one of joy and unity. The rest of the world disappeared, leaving them in perfect harmony as they spun across the desert sands.

Not even trying to hide his surprise, Crosshairs clung to Sidewinder and let him lead the dance, relieved that he finally had someone to lean on, someone who would never let him down or leave him behind. He had doubted in Sidewinder, wary of letting him get too close but now he knew without a doubt that Sidewinder was absolutely perfect for him.  
'Will ya be my bondmate?' Sidewinder asked, flicking him out into a graceful spin then pulling him back in close.  
'Yes.' Crosshairs replied, digging his fingers into Sidewinder's shoulder and relishing the feeling of their armour brushing together. 'Will Smash accept this?'  
'She already adores ya, Crosshairs. She'll be thrilled with the news.' Sidewinder chuckled, drawing him in for a soft kiss. 'The trick will be finding the privacy to make the bond.'  
'We don't need privacy. Don't need to 'face to seal the deal either. Ah'm one of the few that can bond without any wind up.' Crosshairs sighed, pressing just that little closer. 'Only one who'll notice is Ratchet, but Ah ain't worried about him.'  
'I love ya Crosshairs. Love ya so much.' Sidewinder whispered, letting his chestplates part as he pulled Crosshairs as close as possible.

Doing his best to make sure no one interrupted this perfect moment, Ratchet chuckled softly as his finely tuned sensors picked up the change between the two as they eliminated any space between them. He'd seen this before, recognising the way they gripped at hips with their right hands and cradled helms in their left hands. Ratchet had never expected Crosshairs would bond right here in front of everyone. There was no other reason to engage in a traditional Voxian lover's cinch out in public.

Opening his chest, Crosshairs tried to relax into this as Sidewinder guided him through several slow turns. Tentative at first but quickly gaining confidence, he stopped holding back and let out a distressed groan as his spark lurched forward, tangling with Sidewinder's essence without warning. Struggling to keep his feet, Crosshairs was so grateful to Sidewinder in that moment, relaxing into those supporting arms and loving spark.  
'Let go Crosshairs, I gotcha.' Sidewinder whispered, brushing their lip-plates together. 'I love ya, so much.'  
'I love ya too, Winder, but Ah'm afraid.' Crosshairs uttered, sagging into his new mate and feeling his cooling fans kick up another notch.  
'So am I but we'll get through this together.' Sidewinder coaxed, revealing the truth of his creation. 'We're both damaged but we help each other to stand.'

Barriers dropping, the new lovers clung all the tighter as the bond wrapped around them and solidified, locking them together for eternity. Sidewinder gasped softly as he experienced the fear and pain Crosshairs had lived with, doing his best to reassure him that he would never be alone again. Crosshairs could hardly believe the truth of Sidewinder's creation and all that he had endured in his dual lives.  
"Love ya, Sidewinder." Crosshairs reaffirmed, feeling whole and complete at long last.  
"I love ya too, Crosshairs." Sidewinder smiled, completely focused on his new mate. "We can achieve anything, together."  
"Never expected it'd be like this." Crosshairs admitted, pulling Sidewinder closer, body and spark seeking a deeper connection.  
"Shhh, I've got ya. I've always got ya." Sidewinder soothed, eliminating every last speck of space between them and enveloping Crosshairs' spark with his own. "I will never leave ya."

Throwing his hands out to silence any questions and stop anyone walking past him, Ratchet smiled proudly as the faint glow between the slowly turning pair grew stronger, leaking out through any gap it could find. A beat, the slow dance stopped and two voices lifted in chorus, screaming their release to the heavens as they finally achieved a true bond. It was always tricky to bond like that, even Crosshairs couldn't change that accepted fact. A good interface would have made the process easier but the bond was formed now and Ratchet could finally relax and stop worrying about Crosshairs so much.

Trembling with the after effects of the bond forming and the incredible charge Sidewinder had unleashed through them both, Crosshairs pushed his fans to the maximum as they sunk to their knees. Still clinging to each other, they pulled back just enough to let their chestplates close and sagged, absolutely drained but oh so incredibly content.  
"I gotcha, Cross, I gotcha." Sidewinder uttered, stroking soothing patterns over his back. "Take ya time, I ain't leavin' ya."  
"Ah had no idea." Crosshairs panted, slipping sideways to rest his aft on the ground. "Ya mentioned two lives but this…"  
"We can talk it through later. Just wanna hold ya and rest for now." Sidewinder chuckled, settling on his aft and pulling Crosshairs into his lap. "Love ya so much."  
"Love ya too." Crosshairs muttered, snuggling closer to Sidewinder. "'ere comes Smash."  
"Was wonderin' when ya would pick up on her." Sidewinder chuckled, perfectly happy to not move right now.  
"It's so weird to sense her presence." Crosshairs sighed, catching her hand and pulling her into the embrace. 'hey lil' one.'  
'You scared me daddy.' Smash pouted, looking up at her father.  
'Sorry 'bout that, sweetie. Didn't mean to scare ya.' Sidewinder soothed, adjusting his hold on Crosshairs so he could hold his daughter too. 'Remember we talked about one day you might have a second daddy?'  
'I remember, I'm still not sure I like the idea.' Smash nodded, finding a comfortable position in the huddle.  
'Well, what if we told ya that I'm now ya second daddy?' Crosshairs asked, resting his hand on her back lightly. 'That make ya feel a little better 'bout it?'  
'You really mean that? We're gonna be a family?' Smash asked, perking up immediately. 'Yeah, I like that idea a lot.'  
'That screamin' ya heard wasn't from pain, sweetie. That was us formin' a full bond, we're a family now, and perhaps one day you'll have some siblings as well.' Crosshairs confirmed, exhausted but driven to make sure Smash was okay with this.  
'One day, but not now. This is too new and special.' Sidewinder agreed, content to hold his family and come to terms with the new bond.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cursing up a storm across their bond, Decal made his way up the dirt track leading to the rendezvous and finally pulled up among the waiting Autobots. He was so tired, the last hundred miles or so had really put him under stress but he had finally made it home. Releasing the locking mechanisms, he pulled forward a couple of feet and transformed slowly, swaying on his pedes then dropping into an awkward sitting position right there in front of everyone.  
'Daddy!' Combat cried, emerging from the massive trailer and racing to his father.  
'I'm okay Combat, just tired.' Decal replied, wrapping one arm around his baby girl.  
'Whoa, you didn't have to bring us anything this flash Decal.' Lennox remarked, wandering over to the exhausted Autobot. 'I don't even want to know how you paid for it.'  
'Looks can be very deceiving, Colonel.' Armageddon rumbled, skating around from behind the trailer. 'We were told to blend in, so we did.'

Even after all his years around the Autobots, Lennox couldn't help but jump back and let out a shocked noise as the trailer shell cracked and revealed the mighty Falcon in all his dark armoured glory. Stretching out his frame, he shook out his plating and moved to take a knee beside the rest of his family.  
'You should be more careful with your assumptions Colonel.' Falcon chuckled, reaching out to Decal. 'You need to rest, love, I've got you.'  
'I misjudged that last stretch.' Decal nodded, wrapping his arms around Falcon's neck and relaxing as he was picked up and held close. 'Pushed just a little too hard.'  
'I know, love, I know. Shh, you get some rest. I'll take care of things now.' Falcon soothed, straightening and heading towards Optimus. 'Nice to know you ain't dead, Optimus.'  
'We could say the same thing, Falcon.' Blade countered, coming forward to greet the pair. 'Not so sure about the new disguise though.'  
'Hey, it worked. We slipped right past Cemetery Wind on several occasions and they never knew we were anything other than a happy family enjoying a nice holiday before our daughter shipped off to Marine Corps boot camp.' Falcon smirked, looking down at their children. 'We did our job and kept the secret.'  
'It's good to see you are all safe. There is a lot to brief you on, not all of it is good news.' Blade nodded, motioning for the family to follow him. 'We've got Intel that several members of our team have been captured by Cemetery Wind. We have a solid lead on their location but for now we're holding our position here until tonight, by then we expect everyone that can make it to be present here. Once we have the team assembled, we're making our move on Chicago.' Optimus explained, keeping a sharp watch over all his Autobots. 'We must be patient, we will only have one chance to rescue our people.'  
'You gonna tell me who or am I meant to guess?' Falcon asked, unconcerned by Decal's weight as they wandered among the Autobots.  
'Torque, Bandit, Wrench and Smokey.' Blade listed, resting one hand on Falcon's shoulder. 'They also got Stephen, Terrence, Starlight and Brightstar.'  
'Ironhide is also in human custody, without his weapons control module.' Optimus added, turning his gaze to where Ratchet was sitting as he talked with Revs.  
'I thought there was meant to be some good news in all of this.' Falcon sighed, finding a suitable spot to sit and easing down.  
'No one died, we've got the team back together…oh and Sidewinder finally got his act together. He bonded with Crosshairs today, right in front of everyone.' Blade chuckled, sinking down beside Falcon. 'Down you come Optimus, Revs said to keep off that hip as best you can today.'  
'Sidewinder and Crosshairs? Now that's a surprise.' Falcon grinned, setting Decal in his lap comfortably. 'Go on kids, I'm sure there are people you want to see.'  
'Thanks dad.' Armageddon nodded, taking Combat by the hand and racing away from their parents, already calling greetings to their closest friends.  
'What else do I need to know?' Falcon asked, soothing Decal when he shivered and looking at his superior officers. 'Supposed to be Head of Security, so give me the full brief.'  
'Humans are working with a Cybertronian Bounty Hunter, goes by the name Lockdown. Last update listed him as using a dark grey Lamborghini Aventador LP 700–4 Coupe but no one has seen him for a few days so that ID may have changed.' Optimus offered, transmitting a few images of Lockdown's alt and base modes.  
'The top two humans involved are Harold Attinger and James Savoy. Attinger is the paranoid CIA agent who created Cemetery Wind to destroy us. Savoy is the head of Cemetery Wind, working directly under Attinger but with a certain leeway in his orders.' Blade added, giving Falcon everything they had on the pair.  
'Ah, so that's his name. We've had contact with Savoy, he and his men came to one of the campsites we used, looking for Autobots but walked right past without realising we were there.' Falcon nodded, going through the shared data. 'Anything else?'  
'We've got three new humans helping us with this fight. Well, one is definitely helping but the other two are still undetermined.' Blade sighed, pointing towards the low burning bonfire near the marquee. 'Cade Yeager has proven to be a skilled mechanic and he's not afraid to fight back. His daughter Tessa and her boyfriend Shane Dyson have shown various degrees of fear and usefulness since we were thrown together. Shane is a highly skilled driver, but his custom car was destroyed by Lockdown. Tessa is his navigator but otherwise has shown little of value to us.'  
'She is angry that her life has been ruined and blames her father for that. She is frustrated that he did not hand us over to Cemetery Wind when he had the chance and is so far unwilling to forgive us for disrupting her life so close to her finals.' Optimus added, relaxing against Blade peacefully. 'We have already asked Fang if it might be possible for Tessa to still complete her finals but so far he has not given us an answer.'  
'The Lennox and Witwicky families were both threatened by Cemetery Wind, which is why Samuel and William are with us now. Sarah and Annabelle are at safe house 41 with Nimrah guarding them and Mirage left Carly and Thomas at safe house 18.' Slash added, sinking down beside his brother. 'Hound and Mirage hate the fact they had to leave the Witwicky's unguarded but they both knew they would be needed here.'  
'Safe house 18 was one of Emily's favourites, the isolation and bunker will keep Carly and Thomas safe until this is over.' Falcon nodded, looking around slowly then suddenly going totally still. 'Bits is picking up on incoming signals. Attempting to secure ID now.'

Locking onto the rapidly shifting signals, Falcon listened as Bits worked to establish the identity of the approaching pair. They were playing hard ball though, refusing to answer direct questions and promising answers soon. Making his presence known, he demanded the ID's and apologised to his brother for butting in but there was too much at stake. Bits laughed it off, unconcerned about the sudden presence of his brother on such a secure channel. Some things might have changed but every Autobot still remembered exactly why it was a bad idea to mess around with Falcon. He was still Head of Security and that title carried a certain level of respect.

Chuckling softly as he fully verified the approaching pair, Falcon welcomed them home and broke the connection as he looked towards Optimus and Blade with a grin. Sure, they still had a few missing but they at least had a solid chance to rescue their friends and put a stop to this nonsense once and for all.  
'Signals have been interrogated and verified. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker inbound, ETA 3 minutes.' Falcon declared, careful not to wake Decal as he spoke.  
'Which leaves just Prowl and Jazz MIA.' Blade nodded, running his fingers lightly over Optimus' armour. 'Relax Optimus, everything is under control.'  
'Any idea where Prowl and Jazz were comin' from?' Falcon asked, spotting Fang and Fog and waving them over to join the conversation.  
'New York, they were enjoying the big city life.' Slash replied, fluttering his wings to get more comfortable. 'Risky choice but they made it work.'  
'Fog…' Falcon started but Fog just chuckled and held up one hand.  
'I was already plannin' on headin' towards The Big Apple to see if I can catch up with 'em.' Fog smirked, hugging Fang close for a moment. 'I'll cover 'em all the way home.'  
'Be safe, Fog, there is danger everywhere.' Optimus sighed, not thrilled with the plan but he needed to know where those two were.  
'I got it covered, Optimus.' Fog chuckled, turning and jogging through the gathering before kicking off and transforming, disappearing from view within minutes.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Picking their moment, waiting until Optimus is alone at last, Mirage and Hound make their move, blocking him against one of the towering stone mesas around the area and waiting with dwindling patience for Optimus to realise that he has yet to apologise for abandoning them. They had watched him pause and talk to just about everyone else but he had stayed well away from them, as though he knew he had made a mistake and now didn't know how to approach them to ask forgiveness.

Resisting the urge to scream when Optimus just looked at them blankly, Mirage let his shoulders droop and started to turn away but Hound refused to give up, pulling him close as he lifted something from his subspace. Reaching up, Mirage unwrapped the precious bundle and tucked in closer to Hound as they waited for Optimus to finally understand why they were so hurt by his apparent dismissal. Everyone else already knew and had offered sparkfelt congratulations but Hound was determined that their little boy would be blessed by Prime before his birth. An ancient tradition but one Mirage remembered clearly from stories and old archival footage.

Looking down at the lifeless body cradled to his chest, Hound sighed softly and lifted his gaze as Optimus eased to one knee in front of them. Nodding slowly and squeezing Mirage closer for a moment, Hound stepped forward and gently placed the graceful body in the warm, safe arms of their leader.  
'We're gonna name him Mustang.' Hound declared, not taking his optics off their unborn son.  
'Carried by me and sired by Hound, we hope he will find the right balance between strength and grace.' Mirage added, placing both hands over his spark.  
'Mustang, son of Mirage and Hound.' Optimus nodded, placing one massive hand over the tiny body. 'The blessings of Primus upon you, young spark, from today until we are all reunited in the Well. Peace, joy, health and happiness be known to you, young Mustang and may you find the perfect path for you through this life.'  
'Thank you.' Mirage uttered, reaching out to take their son back.  
'I'm sorry I wasn't there when you made the public announcement. My comm was damaged and my self repair only recently got it back online. You have my deepest apologies, I will try not to break a promise again.' Optimus sighed, settling down to sit on the ground.  
'Ya weren't the only who went off the air. We lost contact with about half the force.' Hound replied, helping to rewrap their son and tuck the silent body back into subspace.  
'But we still got what we wanted for Mustang. A proper Prime's Blessing.' Mirage smiled, fingers brushing over his spark again.  
'Would I be correct in believing that Prowl and Jazz have also sparked?' Optimus asked, relieved that he wasn't in trouble with these two.  
'You would be correct. They are also planning on a boy.' Mirage confirmed, his EM field pulsing with joy and excitement.  
'But you didn't hear it from us.' Hound nodded, so proud of Mirage for carrying their sparkling through this trying time.  
'Let me make it perfectly clear, I will not sit back and do nothing while the fate of our people hangs in the balance. Our child is not due for a little while yet, I can still fight.' Mirage insisted, his blades gleaming in the sun.  
'I would not dream of it, Mirage. I would only pull you off the front lines if Ratchet or Revs examined you and declared that the sparkling is due within the next week.' Optimus replied, leaning back on one hand. 'But if you say you are not due within a week, I see no reason to force the issue.'  
'No, our child is still far too small to split. Two weeks at the earliest. Revs examined us last night, he said nine days at the earliest.' Mirage chuckled, looking up at Hound. 'Aside from being a little smaller than expected, Mustang is in fine form.'  
'That is excellent news. I wish you the best with the remaining days of your pregnancy and extend my blessings over you all.' Optimus nodded, incredibly pleased to finally see a serious effort to rebuild their population. 'I am available should you require any assistance with anything you want Mustang to know about our history.'  
'We hadn't really talking about that yet but thanks for the offer.' Hound chuckled, intensely protective of Mirage at the moment. 'We'll keep it in mind for later.'  
'We are still not subjecting Mustang to Kup's rambling stories.' Mirage uttered, earning a soft chuckle from Hound and Optimus.  
'I do not blame you for that choice.' Optimus agreed, gaze lifting to the heavens as several members of the aerial team shot overhead. 'I suppose I should make sure everyone is ready for the fight ahead.'  
'Might be smart to reinforce your position as Prime first. Some people don't appreciate your disappearing act.' Mirage warned, snuggling closer to Hound as they wandered away.

Thinking about what Mirage and Hound had said, Optimus chuckled softly as he eased to his feet slowly. They were right, Optimus had received a few harsh looks from some of his troops and he needed to regain control before they faced the uncertainties ahead. He couldn't leave this to fester though, he had to put an end to it before Prowl and Jazz arrived. Optimus never doubted their loyalty, they had been with him from the early days but then, he'd thought the same of Kup but they had already had one altercation earlier that day.  
'Autobots, form up!' Optimus roared, throwing his voice to catch every audio within the rendezvous area.

The humans had the sense to stay back, waiting under their tent as Optimus paced slowly, watching the Autobots running towards his and forming up in neat lines. They remained silent and still, children holding onto their parents and looking up at Optimus expectantly. Finally, when everyone was lined up and waiting for him to speak, Optimus stopped and turned to the orderly ranks of troops.  
'At no point have I claimed to be perfect. At no point have I ever claimed to be the physical representation of Primus. Those are your words, your thoughts and beliefs thrust onto my shoulders. Kup, I'm sorry if I cannot live up to your expectations. I'm sorry if I deemed it more important to remain online instead of repairing my comm. Forgive me for deeming my fuel system and armour more important than my commlink. I have already died once, I owe my life to Samuel and his unwavering belief that the Matrix would revive my corpse. I have no desire to repeat that action, I am still troubled by the final sensations before my death.' Optimus started, gaze falling on Kup in the formation. 'My choice to live does not give you the right to show such disrespect, however.'  
'You still broke your promise.' Kup countered, refusing to let go of this debate.  
'And you are the only one who holds a grudge against me for that. As such, I have decided that you will not be partaking in the battle against Cemetery Wind. You will make your way to safe house 18 and protect Carly and Thomas Witwicky from harm.' Optimus ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. 'Hot Rod will not be accompanying you, his skills will be needed in this battle but your attitude is not acceptable. Remember how willingly Emily welcomed you into her home and life. She welcomed us all, regardless of the burden placed upon her by our complex daily requirements.'  
'Let it go, Kup. You're the only one angered about this, the only one who can't accept that things don't always go to plan.' Hot Rod sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'Hopefully some time protecting a couple of very important humans will help you realise that.'  
'I doubt it but we'll see.' Kup groused, transforming and racing away in a cloud of dust.

Satisfied that he had gained some precious breathing room before he had to deal with Kup's attitude again, Optimus turned his attention to the massed ranks and frowned slightly. They didn't stand as one full team, there was a clear division and Optimus didn't like that. He always tried so hard to keep his team united and pushing towards victory together. To see this tension and discomfort in the ranks hurt more than Optimus had expected.

He certainly didn't expect the solution to come from the Wreckers, standing front and centre of the formation. As one, they stepped forward and came to attention in front of him, every inch the perfect models of Autobot discipline and self-respect. Optimus hadn't been sure those four even knew how to demonstrate all the ideas that the Autobots stood for. Standing tall and straight, they showed him that things weren't quite as bad as he'd first thought but Optimus was still wary, not quite sure just what they would do next.  
'I am an Autobot Soldier. I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of Cybertron, and live the Autobot Values. I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of Cybertron, in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the Autobot way of life. I am an Autobot Soldier.'

Optics popping wide, Optimus was left in stunned silence as his Wreckers proudly re-declared their allegiance to the Autobots with a perfect rendition of the old Autobot Creed. They weren't finished though, they had clearly been studying up on their history. Hands snapping up, they offered the ancient salute of respect, right hands over their sparks and left hands to their foreheads as they bowed to a higher ranked officer.  
'Topspin, Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Speedshot.' Optimus greeted, returning the ancient bow. 'You bring great honour to the Autobots with your actions.'  
'It is our privilege and honour to serve the Autobot cause.' Topspin replied, a little uncomfortable with taking the senior position in their formation as they straightened. 'We dedicate our sparks and processors to the Autobot cause, whatever the cost.'  
'The Autobots are lucky to have you.' Optimus nodded, astounded by the actions of the quartet and hopeful that the rest of his force would follow suit.

Before anyone else could move, Tank stepped forward and shook out his wings as he too offered the ancient salute. Straightening smoothly, he stood tall and made it abundantly clear that he was willing to follow Optimus into anything without hesitation.  
'I am an Aerialbot. I am a Warrior. I have answered my Planet's call. I am an Aerialbot. My mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win. I am faithful to a Proud Heritage, A Tradition of Honour,  
And a Legacy of Valour. I am an Aerialbot. Guardian of Freedom and Justice, My Planet's Sword and Shield, Its Sentry and Avenger. I defend my Planet with my Life. I am an Aerialbot. Wingman, Leader, Warrior. I will never leave an Autobot behind, I will never falter, And I will not fail.' Tank recited, repeating the salute and holding it until Optimus returned it.  
'Tank, you bring great honour to the Autobots with your actions.'  
'It is my privilege and honour to serve the Autobot cause. I dedicate my spark and processors to the Autobot cause, whatever the cost.'  
'The Autobots are lucky to have you.'

Finally the unity came back, every voice proudly stating their allegiance and reassuring Optimus that he hadn't lost control of his Autobots. His pride grew as the Aerialbots picked up Tank's lead and recited the second creed, showing the ultimate of support and respect for the Autobot cause. They were his loyal supporters and would follow him to the Pit and back, just because he asked them to. That sort of loyalty deserved to be rewarded and one specific Earth military oath fit the situation perfectly.  
'I, Optimus Prime, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Ancient Laws of Cybertron against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me Primus.' Optimus countered, feeling so much more confident in his people now that he had their pledge and promise. 'Take the rest of the day to see to any necessary repairs. We leave for Chicago with the dawn.'  
'Hey, that's my oath!' Lennox called, surprised to hear such familiar words in Optimus' deep baritone. 'Thieving Autobots.'  
'It was Ironhide's idea in the first place, Colonel.' Ratchet chuckled, taking a seat beside the human shelter. 'The military creeds and oaths he discovered fit perfectly with what we believe and can be recited without harming human ears.'  
'But at the same time, human creeds and oaths aren't quite as emotive and complex as we're used to.' Revs added, resting one hand on Ratchet's shoulder lightly. 'Any luck?'  
'I've managed to pierce the block, just enough to reassure him that I'm still with him but not enough to allow data transfer.' Ratchet nodded, resting one hand over Revs' dark claws. 'Go on, the twins will likely be hiding injuries.'  
'I'll take care of them.' Revs chuckled, squeezing the bright plating for a moment before turning and heading away.


	26. Returning To Chicago

Hiding his personal doubts deep in his spark, Optimus led the charge towards Chicago, listening to the chatter on the comms and trying to relax a little. He would do no one any good if he was too wound up to think straight. He needed to focus on the things he could affect, the rest he would simply have to live with. He just hoped that his planned multi-prong attack would keep Cemetery Wind too busy to realise exactly how much trouble they had caused.

He'd made the call to split their strength into three, sending the younglings to take up a position at safe house 1, to the north of Chicago and spreading out the Aerialbots in a wide swathe to the south of the city as he led the ground team into the city proper and made their move against KSI. It was hardly the best plan in the universe but he was reasonably sure that it would work.  
'There's a full on man hunt out for us. So we have some new rules.' Cade sighed, adjusting the comm unlink that he was wearing. 'Anyone who's got a badge is not our friend. We're gonna divide and conquer. Tessa and Shane, you're in charge of getting food and the essentials and nothing else. Chicago KSI headquarters is like a fortress. Sam and I are gonna find a way into their top secret military wing. Find something to blackmail this company and the government. We're gonna get our freedom back.'  
'I'll see what can be done about getting some extra support. Emily left some toys scattered around the city and a location for the command hub. I'll make a run for the hub and try to bring the old weapons online.' Lennox nodded, relieved to finally have a semi-permanent and hack-proof connection with the Autobots.  
"Remember, we still do not know exactly where our captured friends are being held so let's not go in there and destroy everything. We have to get our people back." Ratchet warned, holding position behind Optimus.  
"Not true, Ratchet. I've been able to ride the ghost signal back to the cameras watching our people. They're in a subbasement beneath the main KSI tower. I'm digging through their systems now but so far I haven't found the correct path leading into that particular subbasement." Fang corrected, holding position somewhere to the south of their location.  
"We'll find 'em Ratchet and when we do, someone will pay for taking 'em prisoner." Roadbuster promised, anger flooding his voice. "Humans will forever regret the day they tried to keep our people prisoner."  
'Hey, we're not all bad.' Sam protested, leaning forward from his seat in Optimus' sleeper.  
"Never said ya were, Sam. There are a few decent humans but most just ain't ready for aliens among them." Hound countered, bringing up the tail of their convoy. "Never understood the human idea of little grey men."  
"They musta been thinkin' 'bout Jazz." Modo teased, keeping his place behind the sleek silver spy. "Or maybe Sideswipe."  
'Nah, people think that little green men inhabit Mars.' Shane replied, shaking his head slowly.  
"Oh that's rich. That's absolutely hilarious." Throttle laughed, thoroughly entertained by the idea.  
"I haven't heard anything that funny in years." Sidewinder howled, brushing up against Crosshairs for a second. "There goes any tension in the air."  
'What's so funny?' Tessa asked, adjusting her comm unit for comfort.  
"There is life on Mars but certainly not little green men." Optimus chuckled, still amazed by what humans believed. "Some of us spent some time hiding on Mars and had a chance to meet the locals. Humans are not the only highly evolved species in this solar system."  
'What do they look like?' Tessa questioned, her curiosity coming out once again.  
"Are you sure you want to know? The Martians do not look anything like humans." Optimus warned, careful about frightening the humans.  
'We can handle it.' Cade nodded, curious about their alien neighbours.  
"Very well, but I did warn you." Optimus conceded, bringing up an image of Blade from before the transition. "This is a Martian mouse, the original natives of Mars. Many wars have been fought for the red planet, forcing the natives below ground just to survive."  
'He looks so sad.' Tessa uttered, staring at the image on the windshield.  
'I wouldn't want to piss him off. He looks like he could do a lot of damage in a fight.' Cade nodded, also staring at the picture.  
'Yeah but I think he got too muscular. There's no way he can move fast and hit hard, it's one or the other.' Shane shrugged, settling back in the passenger chair.  
"Do not be so certain of that, Shane. The Martians are perfectly adapted to their environment, their bodies capable of great strength and speed in an environment with very little oxygen or fresh water." Optimus corrected, bringing up a few other images across his windshield. "They are a highly unique species; we have never encountered any like it."  
'So much for humans being alone out there.' William chuckled, going along with the trick for now. 'You're far too good at keeping secrets.'  
"We have all had plenty of practise." Optimus replied, checking in with his forward scouts and relaxing when they reported no problems. "Do not be so quick to judge things, Shane Dyson. You have still not proven that you are worth protecting. We are honour bound to protect Cade and his family, but you are of little consequence."  
'Don't argue with the big boss. You wouldn't be the first person the Autobots have deemed unworthy and I doubt you'll be the last. So just suck it up and work harder to prove that you're worth something. Just being close to Tessa ain't gonna cut it.' William warned, leaning forward again. 'The Autobots have dumped guys with a lot more skills than just driving, so you're gonna need to think fast boy.'  
"We depend on our allies to provide more than just distractions. Colonel Lennox has proven to be a highly gifted military leader, Samuel saved my life and helped us to protect your world and Cade has clearly shown that his mechanical knowledge will save lives. Tessa has already shown that she has a similar mechanical understanding as her father and with the right guardian, she will become a treasured ally." Optimus agreed, keeping a sharp watch over his troops. "So far, you have only shown that you can drive. But your skills with a basic car leaves much to be desired. A youngling shows better control and understanding of defensive driving than you do."  
'Keep your mouth shut unless you've got an idea that makes you valuable. You've got a long way to go before you're considered worthy.' Sam added, settling back comfortably on the upper bunk of the sleeper.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Sneaking into Chicago, the ground force took shelter within an old church still bearing the battle scars from years previous. Scorpion left soon after, heading out on a supply run with Tessa and Shane. Chain headed out a few moments later, heading for the hub that Emily had left for William's use. Kawasaki and Hammer peeled out shortly after them, covering Cade and Sam and offering the best protection they could so they could complete their mission.

The rest of the team transformed and settled in to wait, everyone itching to do something but not sure quite what they could do without losing the element of surprise that they needed. All they could do was waiting, recharge and hope that no one discovered their hiding spot. Some of them weren't much good at the sitting and waiting, so Optimus allowed them to head out and gather supplies or Intel but only so long as they made sure not to draw attention. 

They actually did exceptionally well with that plan, making use of their shield modulators to slip out and back into the old building without anyone noticing they were there. Most came back with Intel on Cemetery Wind or KSI but a few came back with food, clothing and other comforts for the humans. Bonfire came back with two small refrigerators, specifically designed for use in cars and complimented by the small gas cooker that Ghost set down near the human comforts area. Blaster came back with a real prize though, setting down several boxes of clothes in different sizes and styles, more than enough to keep all their human allies in clean clothes for as long as this mess lasted.

Finally the away teams returned, ducking into the church and delivering the humans safely to their bounty of supplies. First came Chain, reporting that Lennox had asked to stay behind to control the forgotten weapons systems. Kawasaki entered a few minutes later, letting Cade and Sam out before he turned and raced into the streets again.  
'What happened?' Optimus asked, shifting against the wall slowly.  
'Hammer thought he picked up on Wheeljack's signal and went to investigate. Kawasaki's gone to back him up just in case.' Sam replied, looking around at the supplies arranged neatly. 'Is all this for us?'  
'Yeah, I'd rather not stink of overcooked meat so you can cook out there.' Falcon nodded, flaring out some of his panels. 'However you will all be sleeping within my frame, no arguments.'  
'So long as that means Shane can't smooch up with my daughter, I'm fine with that.' Cade agreed, digging around in one of the boxes for a clean shirt.  
'That I can promise. However you will have to get used to sharing a large bed with Samuel. Tessa and Colonel Lennox will use the bunks and Shane has the couch. William will not let anyone close to your daughter, he's a light sleeper.' Falcon explained, settling down again. 'Besides, if Shane tries anything, I'll throw him out.'  
'Thanks.' Cade grinned, tossing his sweat stained shirt aside and pulling on a plain grey t-shirt quickly. 'Not sure I'm totally comfortable sharing a bed with another guy but I'll adjust.'  
'Besides, I'm a heavy sleeper. I tend to stay still all night.' Sam added, finding a clean pair of pants and changing.

Slipping through the final barrier between their safety and the outside world, Scorpion stopped beside Chain and opened his doors, relieved to be rid of Shane and his compulsive need to grab at the steering wheel of any car he was sitting in.  
'Hey, found a whole bunch of boxes of clothes. So, sweetie, you can get some long pants, nice loose fitting ones and lose the short shorts.' Cade instructed, grabbing a packet of chips from the pile and settling down to eat.  
'It's a wise idea, Tessa. We're about to get dirty, running from enemies and dodging danger. Long pants and long sleeves will offer at least some protection.' Sam added, finding a suitable shirt and pulling it on. 'Thicker fabrics work better.'  
'And who are you to give us orders?' Shane asked, setting his bag on the table.  
'I'm the guy who has already survived three battles alongside the Autobots. I'm the guy who has technically died for the Autobots and I still can't explain how I'm still here. But most importantly, I'm the guy stopping the Autobots from dumping your useless ass somewhere far out into the desert and leaving you there.' Sam snapped, turning to the young upstart.  
'Pull ya head out and quit thinkin' with ya dick, Shane.' everyone turned to look as a tall, dark haired woman made her way towards them. 'Ya ain't special, ya ain't useful and ya sure as hell ain't worthy of this beautiful woman.'  
'Who is still using the Emily holoform?' Optimus asked, shaking his head slowly.  
'There's a few copies of her fine features around.' Sidewinder replied, snuggling closer to Crosshairs. 'Just let it go, Optimus, she did say she would never be truly gone.'  
'You told us she as dead.' Cade protested, looking up at Optimus in disbelief and confusion.  
'That is not the real Emily, just another holoform.' Optimus replied, watching the false woman walking around the table. 'It has been several years since anyone copied her features.'  
'Usually she only comes out when someone needs a reminder of what is really at stake.' Ratchet shrugged, slumping against the wall behind him. 'I wish she was still with us.'  
'Nah, she would have eliminated any threats to our security.' Speedshot countered, miming pointing a gun at Shane. 'Ya know she never stood for loose ends.'  
'This is your last warning Shane, behave or face the consequences.' Emily warned before simply fading from view.  
'Well that was different.' Cade remarked, turning his attention back to Tessa and Shane. 'What'd you guys get?'

Looking at all the items dumped on the table in front of Cade, several of the Autobots sniggered at the rather strange assortment of food and other essential items. But apparently essential items meant something completely different to the youngest members of the team.  
'It's protein.' Tessa explained as she set a large white bottle of plant protein powder on the table.  
'Look, I said the essentials, okay.' Cade sighed, picking up the bottle.  
'It wasn't easy. We almost got caught.' Tessa replied, setting several bottles of water on the table.  
'You stole mouthwash?' Cade asked, turning his attention to Shane.  
'That's not all he stole.' Chain cut in, dropping several boxes of condoms on the table.  
'I like to be fresh when I'm makin' out with your daughter.' Shane replied, unrepentant for his actions or all the condoms.  
'That's funny.' Tessa chuckled, totally focused on Shane.  
'Yeah, that's not happening. Ever.' Cade insisted, picking up the mouthwash and tossing it as far away as possible.  
'Ever?' Tessa asked, letting out a nervous laugh.  
'Ever.' Falcon confirmed, shifting into a new position. 'You've now got assigned bunks and if I catch either of you sneaking into the other bed, there will be hell to pay.'  
'By assigned bunks, he means real beds within his alt mode so don't even bother trying to get past him. Falcon is Head of Security for a reason and takes his job very seriously.' Sam warned, grabbing an apple from one of the shopping bags and taking a seat.  
'I don't believe this, I'm getting cockblocked by alien robots.' Shane groused, throwing his hands up in frustration.  
'I don't believe this, I'm getting cockblocked by humans.' Ratchet parroted, repeating the gesture.  
'Ya ain't the only one, Ratchet.' Crosshairs agreed, quite enjoying his cuddle time with Sidewinder. 'Get used to it Shane. Ya ain't getting any unless we can and that ain't happenin' anytime soon.'  
'Ya might as well quit tryin' Tessa. This Romeo and Juliet story ain't gonna end in love or death.' Jazz chuckled, tucking Prowl closer to his side. 'Face it, no one is getting any love until this is dealt with.'  
'Damn humans, always ruinin' the fun.' Leadfoot grumbled, earning a sharp elbow from Speedshot and Roadbuster. 'Well, except for Emily. She always left us in peace if we were swapin' paint.'  
'I don't want to hear this!' Cade called, horrified by the thought of Autobot sex.  
'You'll get used to it, Cade.' Sam shrugged, not bothered by the strangeness anymore.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Looking up at a painfully familiar sound from above, Ironhide shuddered and tried to reach for the strength he got from Ratchet's presence but the tiny leak in his bond shield didn't let him feel the true depth of Ratchet's love. Fighting to hide his frame tremors, Ironhide stared up at the clear section above him and curled his powerful hands into fists. He longed to lash out and fight his way to freedom but without his weapons control module, he knew he didn't stand much chance. Then there was the fact that he couldn't even get near the walls to start trying to rip them apart with his bare hands, a powerful electromagnetic force kept pushing him away whenever he tried to get close.

Glaring daggers at the humans who dared to keep him imprisoned, Ironhide snarled and turned away, knowing full well that he would never be free so long as that man in the suit was still around. The woman beside him was a new face though and Ironhide considered if he might be able to turn her opinion in his favour. It was a risk but one that he needed to take if he was ever going to get out of this Primus damned box.

Reaching over the barriers separating them, Ironhide gently gathered Smokey and Wrench to him, trying to reassure the terrified younglings even though he was scared out of his processors too. They clung to him desperately, trembling like leaves in the wind as they sobbed on his broad shoulders. Not even sure that the humans above understood, Ironhide looked up and focused on the blonde woman, trying to make her understand that Autobots weren't a threat. It was so hard to be strong though, he had no idea what had happened to Torque and Bandit. 

All Ironhide knew for certain was that the two missing fighters had disappeared from the room three days ago and their daughters had been inconsolable for two days now. They would scream and cry for their fathers until falling into recharge due to lack of fuel, only to wake again hours later and continue screaming. Ironhide was just grateful he'd finally realised that he could reach over the barriers and lift the younglings to him, his strength giving them some semblance of comfort but they never stopped calling out for their fathers.

Not even sure that the humans could hear him but unable to take this pointless suffering any longer, Ironhide held the pair close and looked up again, seeing something like regret in the eyes of the woman but there was nothing in the eyes of the man.  
'Why are you doing this? Why torture these innocent children? All they want is for their parents to come back and hold them close. Is that too much to ask? Why are you so determined to tear apart families? Answer me, human! What have these children done to you?' Ironhide called, his voice echoing around the chamber. 'What have we done to earn this torture?'

Either the humans didn't hear him or simply didn't care. They turned and walked away as something slid back over the viewing window, blocking the only view outside this horrendous chamber. Shoulders drooping, Ironhide turned and went back to his usual corner and with a heavy sigh, slid down to sit on the cold floor. Rearranging the younglings in his lap, he looked over to where Terrence and Stephen had finally managed to get their girls over the barrier and cuddled in close to them.  
'Why do you keep doing that Ironhide?' Terrence asked, lifting his head slowly.  
'I don't know, vain hope I guess.' Ironhide sighed, rocking the lost younglings slowly. 'Keep hoping that maybe one day they'll finally answer.'  
'It's been almost three months, they ain't gonna answer.' Stephen shrugged, nuzzling his daughter lightly. 'They don't care about us.'  
'I know but I can still try.' Ironhide nodded, relieved that the orphaned duo were quiet for now.  
'I have a feeling we're never gonna see those two again.' Terrence whispered, switching to Cybertronian to protect the innocent ears of the younglings.  
'Would explain why the girls are so distressed.' Ironhide agreed, letting out a little sigh of relief when the girls drifted into an uneasy recharge. 'But for what purpose? Those two aren't that important in the grand scheme of the Autobots.'  
'But they were the weakest of us here. Their injuries were severe so perhaps the humans decided that they would be easy targets for whatever they're doing up there.' Stephen suggested, pressing closer to his twin.  
'I hope their end was quick. Might not have gotten along with 'em but I wouldn't want 'em to suffer either.' Ironhide uttered, lightly caressing the plating of the recharging girls. 'We're gonna need to find someone who can look after these two.'  
'Why can't you? It's obvious they've gotten attached to you.' Terrence asked, smiling sadly at the sight of the girls clinging to Ironhide.  
'Well, Ratchet always did talk about wantin' a big family.' Ironhide smiled softly at the thought, but his blocked processors wouldn't let him pull up pictures of Nimrah or Ratchet.  
'They already feel safe with you, Ironhide, you might as well adopt them instead of tearing them away from another anchoring presence.' Stephen agreed, optics dimming as he relaxed. 'Get some recharge, who knows when those assholes will be back.'

Nodding slowly, Ironhide shifted against the wall and cradled the two traumatised younglings close as he let his systems cycle down into a light recharge. He had no intentions of being caught off guard, keeping watch over the younger Autobots as they waited for rescue or release. He didn't hold out much hope of either but he didn't dare say that, he was responsible for these Autobots and he would do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. He just wish he knew what had happened to Brains and Wheelie, the twins hadn't been able to tell him where the tiny pair had gone after they had all been captured. Ironhide worried for the loud pair, the tiniest Autobots he'd ever had to work with. Sure, they were rude and annoying at times but they were still part of the family and he worried about their safety.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Taking advantage of the peace while they waited for Optimus and Cade to return from the next stage of their rescue attempt, the rest of the ground force took the time to do a final check of their weapons and make sure everything was ready. For most, weapons maintenance was easy, a simple matter of disconnecting wires and releasing the support struts so they could lift the weapons into a better position for cleaning.

Maintenance wasn't so easy for the Wreckers, their weapons weren't designed to come off without medical intervention. Since none of them were seriously hurt, they had to settle for their usual routine and hope that no one got freaked out by anything that might happen. Disconnecting the firing systems, they settled on the filthy floor and pulled out their cleaning kits to start on the massive job of cleaning all their weapons.  
'Try not to do anything too weird this time, Buster.' Speedshot chuckled, starting to open up the rocket launcher on Roadbuster's shoulder.  
'No promises, Shot.' Roadbuster replied, already working on clearing the usual gunk from around Topspin's left shoulder-mounted heavy cannon.  
'pointless effort, Shot, he can't help bein' weird.' Leadfoot teased, submitting to Topspin's attention on the missile launcher he now carried under his left arm as he lifted away the outer casing over the large rotary gun on Speedshot's right shoulder.

It started out innocently enough, the four of them focused on their tasks in peaceful silence as the rest of the team alternated between watching the Wreckers and tending to their own weapons. Not that it was strange behaviour, Hound had set aside his cannons to help Mirage sharpen his blades since he couldn't quite manage the long, smooth strokes required to keep his blades in perfect condition. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were working together too, sharpening their swords and cleaning out built up crud from around laser cannons in harmony. Even Prowl and Jazz were in on the partnership routine, making final checks on their hidden armaments.

Things got a little less innocent when Topspin started chirping and pressing closer to Roadbuster's busy hands. Then Speedshot started twitching and clicking, optics dimming sharply as he moved closer to Leadfoot.  
'Seriously, knock that off before I medic-fu you all.' Ratchet groused, glancing up from sharpening his buzz saw.  
'Okay, what the hell is that?' Shane asked, pointing to the quartet. 'I thought none of us were getting any.'  
'That ain't sexual.' Crosshairs smirked, looking up from his sidearm maintenance.  
'Every Autobot has a special spot, a spot that creates a pleasant sensation when touched in just the right way. Just so happens that those four bliss out whenever someone strokes their weaponry.' Sidewinder added, flipping a missile launcher out from his right side and checking it over carefully.  
'Think of it like a dog that starts scratching when you rub their belly in just the right spot. It's not sexual, it just feels good.' Sam shrugged, looking up at Bee with a grin. 'So be careful what you touch. Every Autobot has a different spot.'  
'Oh yeah, that's the spot.' Falcon hummed, drawing attention as Decal continued to tweak the dual cannons Falcon was so proud of.  
'Mute it, all of you. This is meant to be a derelict building, not one ringing with voices.' Ratchet growled, a large and scarred wrench appearing in one hand.

Though technically Jazz and Prowl both outranked him, everyone respected Ratchet and the damage he could do with that wrench. Silence once again settled over the Autobots, broken only by the occasional soft conversation or a squeak of a weary joint. They were all tense and on edge, just waiting for Optimus and Cade to come back so they could make their final plans.  
'Heads up, Prime's comin' back.' Hammer warned, busy picking crud out of his pedes for better traction. 'Any minute now.'  
'Finally, I hate sitting around doing nothing.' Blaster nodded, putting away his emergency pistol and getting to his feet.

Sure enough, a little over a minute later Optimus rolled through the tarpaulins covering the huge hole in the wall and waited for Cade to get clear before transforming and picking his way through the gathering carefully.  
'Bumblebee, Cade has the blank ID card required for the mission tomorrow. You have the right set up to put the necessary information on the card.' Optimus instructed, leaning back against a pillar comfortably. 'There is a photo of a real one on the drone.'  
'Actually, you'll have to do this twice. Once to put my face on it and then again the day after to put Shane's face on the same card.' Cade corrected, holding up the card for Bumblebee.  
'Would probably be smart to change the name as well. Wouldn't be hard for Fang to hack the personnel files and add a couple of new people without it being obvious.' Falcon suggested, settling back against the wall comfortably.  
'Just pick the new names and I'll get Fang on it.' Sidewinder nodded, turning his focus to the humans again. 'But keep it realistic, no stupid names.'  
'Corey Williams and Steve Donovan.' Cade replied, silencing Shane with a look.  
'Alright, Fang's got the details. Give him a few moments and he'll have it sorted.' Sidewinder chuckled, lightly strumming his fingers over Crosshairs' side. 'Heh, he's gettin' faster. Go for it Bee, Corey and Steve are now part of KSI.'

Making short work of creating the first false access card, Bumblebee paused for a moment before chirring softly and pulling a battered box from subspace. Setting it down carefully, he chuckled as Sam came over and started digging through the box. Even after years apart, he still understood Bee without the need for words.  
'You really think this'll work, Bee?' Sam asked, holding up an old access card with no label on it.  
'Sync up with Fang, he should be able to download the necessary data to you so you can put it on the card.' Blaster suggested, rolling his shoulders in a lazy stretch. 'What? I'm bonded to Tank.'  
'It's a solid plan.' Falcon agreed, not looking up from the delicate work of recalibrating his wrist dart launcher. 'Transfers happen, nothin' to be fussin' over. I picked up a few spy tricks from Decal when we bonded.'  
'And I learned a few tricks about security systems and protocols.' Decal chuckled, flipping out a similar launcher and checking the darts. 'Can't wait to see what transfers between Crosshairs and Sidewinder. That's bound to be interesting.'  
'Should be obvious, Decal. Explosives Technician meets paratrooper, we're talking guns and specialty explosives.' Crosshairs smirked, patting one of his pistols lightly.  
'You asked, Decal.' Sidewinder shrugged, enjoying this chance to just sit and hold his mate.  
'Wish I hadn't.' Decal muttered, shaking his head slowly. 'You two cause enough carnage separately. I don't want to know how bad it'll be now that you're bonded.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Unable to look upon the twisted and broken forms of his old friends, Wheeljack turned his holoform away from the mangled mess and shivered slightly. It had been so close, he had nearly been the next project on their tables but they had found Torque and Bandit first. The very idea made him sick to his tanks and he knew he couldn't hide here for much longer. He knew the time to strike was coming, he could feel the presence of the other ground pounders nearby but still he waited, hiding in plain sight until the perfect moment to strike.

Wendy Thompson was well known around KSI, a brilliant mind and a stunning figure coming together to give her an edge over every other scientist in the building. No one else realised what she was, they all believed she was just a single mother trying to balance work and raising her young son Percy. The time for hiding was over. Perceptor was already on his way to the battle scene and Wendy's rage was about to be unleashed in a huge way.

Reactivating his comms, Wheeljack made his presence known to his friends as he directed Wendy towards the room that led down into the pit where the remaining few live Autobot prisoners were being held. Fully aware that someone would notice her actions, she opened the covers over the viewing window and deactivated the electromagnetic shields keeping the small team isolated. Smiling softly when Ironhide looked up, Wendy waved and nodded, hoping that he understood that freedom was coming.

Turning back, she hurried through the laboratories again and returned to her station near what was left of poor Wheelie. It was so hard to see the loudmouth still and silent, his pieces scattered within the chamber where he'd spent so long as a prisoner. It was only because of Wendy that he was even still online but Wheeljack wasn't certain that they would be able to rebuild him. For now, he used his holoform to stabilise Wheelie's spark and keep him online until reinforcements arrived. He just hoped that Wheelie could hold on a little longer for rescue.

Patience swindling, Wheeljack held his position and worked to keep Wheelie from off lining as he waited for the rest of the team to arrive in the building. He hated having to wait but one Autobot didn't stand much chance against these bastards and he didn't want to destroy the element of surprise that Optimus and the others would need to make it deep into the facility.  
"Wheeljack, where the Pit have you been?" Ratchet asked, his voice bringing such comfort to Wheeljack after months alone.  
"Hiding in plain sight and trying to protect our people." Wheeljack replied, most of his attention on the prisoners. "Whatever you're planning, better do it soon."  
"What's the situation in there?" Optimus asked, reassuring Wheeljack that the nightmare would be over soon.  
"It's bad and getting worse by the minute. Bandit and Torque were removed from the pit five days ago and succumbed to their injuries yesterday. There's not much left of them, but I have managed to secure their ID panels. Joyce has ordered that Terrence and Stephen are to be removed from the pit tomorrow and stripped for their metals. Once they are destroyed, focus will shift to the four younglings. For now they are keeping Ironhide contained, I don't know why." Wheeljack briefed, hating to be the bearer of such news.  
"Lockdown hasn't got what he wants so he'll come back for another go at Ironhide." Ratchet snarled, frustration colouring his voice.  
"Brains has been separated out as well, they've forced him to translate information downloaded from the severed heads of Megatron and Sentinel Prime. The humans tried to make Wheelie do the same but he refused and was torn apart for his insolence. At this point I've got him partially stabilised but I really need Ratchet's help." Wheeljack continued, doing his best to balance all the problems he was facing but he was no medic.  
"ETA five minutes." Optimus confirmed, those words such a relief to Wheeljack.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Leading the charge towards KSI, the Wreckers lived up to their name, leaving huge skid marks on the street in front of the building as they spun and lined up on the glimmering exterior of the building. Engines roaring, they charged into the building, using their transformation sequences to boost them over the bollards and through the windows. Rolling to their feet, they went straight through everything in their path, shooting through any serious barriers but mostly just running and smashing through anything in their way.

Following the Wreckers through the front doors, Hot Rod crashed through a security checkpoint and nailed one of the security robots as he joined the charge towards the laboratories. Seconds later, Bumblebee and Drift made their entrance, the pair joining forces to head up and rescue Cade from his captors. Tucking and rolling through the shattered glass, Blaster regained his feet and headed for the nearest computer terminal to start hacking into the systems so he could focus the others on specific target areas.

Crashing through an undamaged section of glass, Sidewinder and Crosshairs swung from one piece of the heavy steel frame and opened fire, sending the humans scrambling for cover as Hound and Mirage smashed in from the side and rolled clear moments before Optimus made his entrance and ran past them. Swinging forward, the newest bondmates vaulted off Hound's shoulders and joined the chase, looking for serious payback.

Shattering another section of glass, Ratchet led the charge through a wing of offices, buzz saw screaming as he used it to clear a path through to the central laboratories. Behind him came the twins, silver and gold paint gleaming as they caused maximum damage to the building and terrorised the humans who had dared harm their people. Diving through the same hole, Scorpion and Chain broke left as Hammer and Kawasaki went right, spreading through the building and herding the people ahead of them.

Following Optimus through the centre of the building, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo split and continued their charge, letting out battle cries as humans scattered in every direction. Prowl and Jazz raced up the escalators, ignoring the humans screaming about them as they hunted for their friends in the chaos.

Smashing through a side wall, Falcon climbed up onto the floor above and joined the charge with Decal at his side, breaking through the walls and tearing apart the non-load bearing walls of the building. Narrowly avoiding a sudden explosion of debris near their feet, Falcon crouched and helped Wheeljack up through the hole he had made, clapping him on the shoulder as they continued their run through the building.

Finding their way into the main laboratory area, the Wreckers spread out and opened fire, adding to the chaos around them as the rest of the team started breaking through walls and climbing over the neatly arranged shipping containers.  
'Get out!' Optimus roared, kicking one of the containers off its trailer. 'All of you!'  
'Science fair's over, meatbags!' Hound called, vaulting over another trailer and opening fire.  
'Destroy the lab!' Throttle called, crashing through a wall and starting to tear apart everything within reach.  
'Destroy it all!' Optimus agreed, opening fire as the humans ran everywhere, trying to escape but there was no way out.  
'Ratchet, this way!' Wheeljack called, arriving on scene and grabbing Ratchet's arm. 'Wheelie needs you first, I'll take Sidewinder and Falcon to get the prisoners.'  
'Careful with Ironhide, his Guardsman Protocols are active.' Ratchet warned, following Wheeljack through the carnage. 'Cover me!'  
'We got ya, Ratchet.' Slash nodded, continuing the destruction as he led Bonfire, Windvest and Ghost towards Ratchet.  
'Guys! It's me! Bring me out of this Frankenstein box!' Brains yelled, thumping on the walls of his prison.  
'I got ya, Brains.' Ghost nodded, smashing through the glass and scooping Brains up so carefully. 'Sorry we took so long, little bro.'  
'Knew you'd get here eventually.' Brains replied, settling on Ghost's shoulder as he hustled back to Ratchet. 'Oh man, Wheelie!'  
'Someone find me a laptop or tablet!' Ratchet bellowed, shattering the glass around Wheelie carefully so he didn't do any more damage to the dismantled Autobot.  
'Here, use this one.' an unfamiliar woman called, setting a brand new laptop beside the damaged parts before running away.  
'Falcon! Sidewinder! With me! The prisoners are this way!' Wheeljack barked, waving for them to follow him. 'Modo! We'll need you too!'

Deploying his blades and ripping through a half built prototype, Mirage chuckled as he spun and kicked several computers, sending up a rather beautiful shower of sparks and clearing the way as Hound kicked another pile of stuff aside and continued his rampage.  
'Hey! Hey! Hey!' Joshua Joyce, unafraid of their actions as the Autobots came closer to him and continued to destroy the laboratory. 'Stop! That's company property!'  
'Can you believe this meatbag?' Speedshot growled, opening fire on the remaining shipping containers he could see as several loud pops could be heard from an offshoot room.  
'They're not your property.' Optimus countered, turning his full attention to the human. 'They were my friends.'  
'They aren't all dead yet, Optimus.' Ghost corrected, coming over with Brains on his shoulder.  
'Ohh, ain't talking so much now you got Hound and Ghost in front of ya, huh?' Brains taunted, sliding down Ghost's arm to stand on his heavy blaster.  
'Go ahead, show us your true colours once and for all.' Joyce replied, looking up at them with no trace of fear on his face.  
'Just gimme the word.' Hound growled, itching to get some serious payback. 'I'll splatter him.'  
'If anyone has the right to splatter anyone, it's me!' an angry redhead called, striding up to Joyce and slapping him hard. 'You murderer!'  
'Who are you?' Joyce asked, turning and grabbing her wrist.  
'Wendy Thompson to you but to the Autobots, I'm Wheeljack, chief inventor.' she replied before disappearing from sight.

Turning at the sound of heavy footsteps behind them, all of the Autobots visibly relaxed at the sight of Ironhide, the jettwins and four terrified younglings as they made their way through the destruction. The twins were in terrible shape, leaning heavily on Falcon as Sidewinder cradled Brightstar and Starlight to his chestplates. Ironhide was at least walking under his own power, Smokey and Wrench clinging to him in terror. Leading the way, Wheeljack carried two severely damaged helms, the faces barely recognisable amidst the destruction.  
'You murderer!' Wheeljack called, making his way through the group. 'You say that we are evil but you ordered the murders of two severely wounded Autobots! You tortured them and killed them in cold blood!' Wheeljack screamed, his anger and frustration coming out strong. 'You wanted to destroy innocent children! You were going to torture and slaughter these children!'  
'Papa!' Perceptor cried, racing through the destruction and narrowly missing running over Joyce.  
'I'll take care of them.' Mirage offered, taking the two heads respectfully.  
'You're safe now Perceptor, papa's got you.' Wheeljack soothed, taking a knee and welcoming Perceptor into his arms. 'I'll protect you, this monster won't get his bloody hands on you.'

Limping forward, Ironhide stopped beside Optimus and shuddered as Optimus plugged in and shut off his Guardsman Protocols. Moving forward again, he looked down at Joyce and snorted as he tightened his grip on the two shaken youngsters.  
'Look at the innocence you have tainted. We were all happy to keep the children away from any violence but you threw it into their lives thoughtlessly. You made the choice to murder their parents and now these two are alone.' Ironhide rumbled, rocking the younglings slowly. 'Your hands will never be clean, you will forever have to live as a murderer.'  
'I want my daddy!' Smokey cried, lifting her head slowly.  
'Pappy!' Wrench sobbed, burrowing closer to Ironhide.  
'Give me the word and we'll end him, Prime.' Ghost growled, moving to the side so he had a clear shot at Joyce. 'A life for a life.'  
'Why don't you tell itchy fingers here that this is all the spoils of war. Dead metal. Innovation. What we do here is science. Because if we don't do it, somebody else will. Because you cannot stop technology.' Joyce ranted, unmoved by the grief of the youngsters.  
'We're not your technology!' Optimus snapped, kicking a gas cylinder through a glass screen near Joyce and watching him cower.  
'Let me vaporise his ass.' Hound requested, taking aim on Joyce.  
'I broke the code. I own your whole genome.' Joyce continued, too blinded by profit to see the real harm of what he was doing.  
'The world will know what you're doing here.' Optimus warned, trying to reign in his temper.  
'The world? The world will approve. We can make you now. Don't you get it? We don't need you anymore.' Joyce replied, his arrogance and harsh words stirring up the Autobots again.  
'That was cruel.' Hound uttered, looking to Mirage for a moment.

Finally returning to the main group, Ratchet approached Ironhide and reached out to gently take Smokey from him. Settling her against his chest, he chirred softly to calm her and wrapped his free arm around Ironhide's waist lightly.  
'I know we haven't talked about it but how do you feel about addin' to our family?' Ironhide asked, drawing Ratchet in tight against him.  
'There's love aplenty in our family 'Hide, more than enough for three youngsters.' Ratchet nodded, relieved to finally have Ironhide back. 'You can tell Nimrah, she'll be relieved to hear from you at last.'  
'How's Wheelie?' Wheeljack asked, regaining his feet and turning to Ratchet. 'I tried to keep him stable but I'm not you.'  
'I managed to transfer him into the laptop one of the humans handed me and collect what remained of his body. I still don't know if we'll ever get Wheelie back with us though.' Ratchet sighed, pressing closer to Ironhide. 'Cade might be able to help with the rebuilding. I asked Tessa to protect Wheelie and his parts until there is time.'  
'Autobots, we're done.' Optimus growled, realising there was no sense in continuing this rampage. Joyce would never learn unless forced to open his eyes.  
'We're done? We're not gonna kick a little bit of ass?' Brains asked, climbing back up to Ghost's shoulder for security.  
'I been itchin' kill somethin' lately.' Hound muttered, reaching out to take Mirage by the hand.  
'Humans die too easily, amore, we will find you a better target.' Mirage chuckled, lashing out to bring down another numbered tower.

Not quite ready to let this go, Wheeljack turned back to Joyce and narrowed his optics for a moment before connecting his comm to his radio speakers. He wasn't sure this would work but it would certainly hit this arrogant chump right where it hurt. He just had to hope that someone was hooked into KSI.  
'Any Autobots got a direct link into the KSI mainframe?' Wheeljack asked, meeting Joyce's eyes across the destroyed laboratory.  
"Yeah, I'm buried in deep. What do you need Wheeljack?" Fang responded with a chuckle. "How can I help you Wheeljack?"  
'Words ain't having much affect on Mr Joyce and his belief that he owns us so I want to hit him where it hurts.' Wheeljack explained, watching Joyce for any response.  
"We're already on it Wheeljack. By the time we're done, KSI will be nothing but a bad memory. We're doing it slowly so it doesn't raise any red flags but we're making progress." Fang replied, his words wiping the smug look of Joyce's face. "I reckon we've got about a week until we're finished with it."  
'Excellent work, Fang.' Wheeljack chuckled, turning and following his friends out of the building. 'Enjoy poverty asshole.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Forming up around their injured friends, the ground team kept their weapons systems online and prepared for anything as they raced away from the KSI building. Right in the middle of the group, Modo kept a sharp watch on the trailer he'd stolen and on the shaken jettwins huddled together and clutching their youngsters to their chests. Ironhide stayed close to Modo as well, Smokey and Wrench curled up in his tray for protection as they made their escape from that nightmare place. 

Spreading out to cover the convoy, the Wreckers took their places around the perimeter of the group to best bring their firepower into play should it be needed. Even though they knew it would draw attention, Roadbuster and Topspin made their escape in reverse, sweeping the streets with their inbuilt weapons as they waited for KSI to retaliate. Everyone expected it would happen, they just weren't quite sure how it would happen.

Picking up on incoming signals that matched data from KSI, Blaster put out the warning about the approaching silver cab-over and pink sports car. Bumblebee confirmed the ID, sharing images he had taken of the same pink car, Stinger, both in base and alt modes.  
"Exercise extreme caution. KSI had access to Megatron's head, there's no telling what secrets Galvatron is hiding." Wheeljack warned, moving up in readiness.  
"Nothin' good, that's fer sure." Leadfoot agreed, readjusting his firing line and advancing to protect the civilian vehicles also on the road.  
"Spread out, protect the civilians and try not to get hurt. This could go either way." Optimus directed, keeping level with Speedshot and Leadfoot. "Modo and Ironhide, I want you two to hold back. The injured are your priority."  
"Already on it, Prime." Ironhide confirmed, leading Modo off road and taking up a covering position nearby. "I've got ya backs."  
"We've got ya backs." Modo corrected, transforming and levelling his cannons at the approaching threats.

Disturbed by the reckless destruction Galvatron unleashed on innocent bystanders, the Autobots picked up the pace to meet the threat as Ratchet called for Revs to swing around and check for any injuries amid the destruction. Ratchet hated to leave casualties behind but this was one time when he couldn't afford to stop and render aid, they had to stop these metal maniacs from doing too much damage.

Getting nervous as they continued to close the distance, Hound and Jazz moved up to protect their mates as Galvatron launched several missiles towards them. Slamming on the brakes and scattering, the Autobots neatly avoided the first wave of missiles and protected the few civilian cars that had gotten caught up in this battle. Skidding out and spinning, most of them went off road and kept on turning, throwing up the dirt as they made their escape.

Weaving through their friends, Topspin and Roadbuster flew through neat 180 spins and charged, powerful jets screaming as they closed the distance and rejoined their lovers. Opening fire, they created a solid defensive line and slammed into reverse as one. Racing backwards down the open street, they did what they could but Galvatron showed no sign of being affected by their firepower.

Purposefully putting himself between Bee and Stinger, Sidewinder put his newest modifications to the test and flared out his secondary shielding as soon as a missile came within range. His aim was good, sending the missile high into the sky where it detonated harmlessly.  
"Sidewinder! More missiles incoming!" Mirage called, slipping clear of one shot from behind.  
"Listen up! Flare secondary shields to 47% larger than average and adjust surface angle to 45 degrees! Flare to 47% larger! Adjust angel to 45 degrees!" Sidewinder ordered, deflecting another missile up and away.  
"Frag! One got past!" Optimus called, watching the missile streak past him.  
"I might be able to catch it." Crosshairs offered, pushing his engine to the limit and charging past Optimus. "Sidewinder, recalculate shield mods!"  
"Flare to 62% larger and angle to 55 degrees on the front. That should throw the missile up but I can't be sure how high or far." Sidewinder suggested, thinking fast but there was no time to verify the numbers. "It might also send the missile into a civilian vehicle."  
"We're about to find out." Crosshairs replied, throwing his shield forward and knocking the missile off course.

It careened away from the innocent people but the shock of the explosion caused on driver to lose control of his trailer and send it towards several other vehicles. Two more missiles got past the shield barriers, narrowly missing civilians but the damage was already done as the eighteen wheeler swung around and crashed into the rear of a stalled motor home.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch out!" Shane and Cade both screamed, helpless to do anything as Bumblebee barrelled straight towards the crash site.  
"Remember the transformation and throw in Chicago, Bee." Optimus instructed, moving up in readiness. "I will catch the humans this time."  
"You got it Prime." Bee confirmed, calculating angles and preparing for the leap.  
"We're going straight through." Topspin called, swinging far to the right and picking his path.

Skidding and breaking into his transformation, Bumblebee launched the humans skywards as he flipped over, sensors working overtime to keep track of everyone. Also Airborne, Optimus spun in midair and caught Tessa safely in one hand as Bee caught Cade and Shane moments before they went crashing through a trailer parked on the bridge above them. Clearing the trailer, Bee tossed the two men carefully to Optimus and kicked out, hooking his feet on the bridge. Swinging down to hang under the bridge, Bumblebee waited for a clear line and snapped out his missile launchers. Waiting a moment to make sure his friends were clear, Bee launched all ten missiles and watched in disbelief as Galvatron disintegrated into thousands of pieces but the pieces didn't fall to the ground. Instead the pieces formed several groups and flew past him, swirling and twisting before reforming into Galvatron's alt mode and racing away.  
"What was that?" Bumblebee asked, dropping back to the road.  
"Humans ain't figured out our transformation system so this is what they came up with." Brains explained, somewhere else in the chaos.  
"Well this makes things a hell of a lot harder." Speedshot groused, racing past Bee with his mates. "How do we stop 'em if they do that?"  
"We'll figure it out. Let's move!" Sidewinder barked, keeping up with Optimus to protect the humans. "Prime, any thoughts?"  
"I've already called the medical team forward. Revs is taking charge of the situation." Ratchet added, catching up with Optimus.  
"Good, that's one less concern." Optimus replied, scanning the humans to make sure they were unharmed. "When there is a moment, I want you to check over the family."  
"But of course." Ratchet agreed, moving back to slot in beside Ironhide. "The younglings?"  
"Finally in recharge. Poor girls are absolutely exhausted." Ironhide sighed, pushing his own exhaustion aside so he could focus on his family.  
"You were supposed to stay back and protect the wounded, Ironhide." Optimus insisted, concerned to see him back on the front lines.  
"Revs ordered Modo back to safe house 1 with the wounded under aerial guard. He didn't try that with me, he knows I can protect these two and still get involved in this." Ironhide replied, folding out his missile launcher and taking a shot at Stinger.  
'Debate later! Galvatron is still active!" Roadbuster snapped, unleashing everything he had at the approaching silver truck. "Slag! We need a new plan here!"  
"I'd settle for a plan!" Hot Rod insisted, recalculating the angles and sending two more missiles into the sky.  
"All of you! Get in front of me!" Optimus ordered, pulling his shield in tight and calculating his options. "Wreckers, I will pass the humans to you so stay close."  
"We're in position." Topspin replied, keeping pace with Optimus but he didn't dare get too close.

Unable to complete a bubble around them with Leadfoot's secondary generators offline, the Wreckers were forced to play dodge the missiles when Galvatron opened fire again. His aim wasn't really focused on them though, he seemed determined to destroy Optimus. Every shot landed close to the bigger bot, most landing close enough to do damage but one went wide and destroyed an approaching SUV. Then a lucky shot slammed into Optimus' passenger side front wheel, forcing him to make a choice.

Skidding a little and charging into his transformation, Roadbuster snatched Cade and Shane out of the air, protecting them from debris as they tumbled across the grass. Topspin and Speedshot ended up careening out of control on the other side, narrowly avoiding Optimus ash e tumbled along the roadway and released Tessa dangerously close to him. Engine revving hard, Leadfoot gave chase and transformed at speed, only to lose control and end up in the grass instead of beside Optimus.  
'Tessa!' Cade screamed, worming out of Roadbuster's hand and running towards his daughter.  
'No, it's too dangerous!' Roadbuster called, doing his best to keep the humans safe as Optimus and Galvatron started trading punches. 'Leadfoot! Get out of there!'  
'Ratchet! Check on the bystanders!' Throttle ordered, getting to his feet and charging into the battle. 'Vinnie! Watch my back!'  
'I got ya bro!' Vinnie nodded, keeping back but ready to charge in as soon as he was needed.  
'Tessa! Tessa! Tessa, run to the field!' Cade guided, still trying to help the people trapped in the damaged cars littering the area.  
'Run Tessa! We'll cover!' Topspin directed, getting up and snapping out his weapons. 'I can't get a clear shot! Buster!'  
'Negative!' Roadbuster confirmed, struggling to get a clear shot at Galvatron.  
'I gotcha Tessa!' Speedshot yelled, running to the woman but he got body slammed by Optimus and knocked clear again. 'Get up Tessa! You have to keep moving!'  
'You have no soul!' Optimus growled, thrusting his inbuilt sword through Galvatron's chest.  
'That is why I have no fear.' Galvatron replied, grabbing Optimus by the helm and pulling him off his feet. 'You die!'  
'Oh frag!' Speedshot howled, scrambling up and trying to get clear but he was too close and was sent flying by Galvatron's right foot.  
'Speedshot!' Topspin cried, running towards his fallen mate despite the danger.

Making his move, Leadfoot once again tried to reach Tessa, ignoring the dirt and debris being kicked up as he crawled towards the terrified young woman. Reaching out, he almost had her when another missile streaked into the scene and went right through Optimus' upper chest and Throttle's shoulder, sending parts flying in every direction.  
'That's Lockdown!' Ratchet called, still mostly focused on protecting the unlucky people who were having the worst day of their lives.  
'Percy! Into the trees!' Wheeljack directed, folding out his weapons as Perceptor raced for cover.  
"Prime! Get down!" Ironhide roared, helpless to defend his leader while still carrying the two younglings. "Get down!"

The warning came too late, a single shot from Lockdown's heavy cannon slamming into Optimus' shoulder and knocking him back and down. Leadfoot tried to make it clear but the running repairs done after his first encounter with Cemetery Wind couldn't hold anymore and he was left immobile and half buried under Optimus.  
'Leadfoot!' Roadbuster called, stuck between protecting the humans and rescuing his mate.  
'What about Galvatron?' Throttle asked, flat on his back and reeling from the ferocity of the fight.  
'Minor threat. We have to save Optimus.' Vinnie replied, launching forwards to meet the threat.

He barely made it three steps before Lockdown shot him in his chest and knocked him back to drop beside Throttle, both of them regretting agreeing to sending Modo away with the wounded.  
"Ratchet, take the kids." Ironhide demanded, unable to hold back any longer. "It's payback time."  
'Don't do it 'Hide. We need you.' Ratchet replied but he lifted the two recharging younglings out anyway. 'Lockdown is too strong.'  
'He won't be expecting this.' Ironhide growled, gaining his feet and running across the grass to get position. 'Hey, Lockdown!'

Cannons folding out smoothly, Ironhide opened fire and managed to score two direct hits before Lockdown could even realise that the old warrior was still a threat. Even Ratchet was left in disbelief, he hadn't had time to remake Ironhide's weapons control module so he shouldn't have been able to use his primary weapons. The damage hardly seemed to bother Lockdown, he merely reformed his heavy cannon and returned fire, dropping Ironhide to the ground with one neat shot to the chest.

Straining to get out from under Optimus and do something about their situation, Leadfoot ushered Tessa into the wrecked car Optimus was partially resting on and dug his fingers into the ground. He could feel Optimus trying to move off him but the damage was too much, he could hardly move, much less fight back.  
'I gotta go get her.' Cade insisted, trying to get away from Roadbuster. 'Tessa!'  
'Don't go out there! He'll kill you!' Shane demanded, tackling Cade to the ground.  
'She needs my help!' Cade yelled, wrestling with the younger man.  
'She's hidden!' Shane replied, looking towards the severely damaged white car.  
'Leadfoot will protect her.' Roadbuster promised, wrapping his hands around the pair. 'Now stay quiet and we might get out of this alive.'  
'Optimus! Optimus! Get up! Get up!' Tessa pleaded, her voice rising in panic.  
'I can't. Get out of here.' Optimus instructed, concerned for her safety.  
'Can you at least roll so I can get free?' Leadfoot groaned, feeling something in his hip give. 'Oh frag, that's a problem.'  
'I feel sorry for you Prime. Your allegiance to these humans. The trouble with loyalty to a cause is that the cause will always betray you.' Lockdown remarked, taking a knee beside them.  
'Who sent you here?' Optimus asked, still trying to get off Leadfoot.  
'Where do you think you came from? You think you were born? No, you were built. And your creators want you back.' Lockdown scoffed, regaining his feet. 'We all work for someone.'  
'No shit! We were all built.' Leadfoot snapped, giving up trying to escape from this one.  
'Not helping Leadfoot.' Optimus groaned, looking up as a smaller ship detached from the larger vessel overhead.

Helpless to do anything against such a display of power from Lockdown, the remaining Autobots could only watch as a heavy net was wrapped around Optimus, Leadfoot and the car where Tessa was hiding. Breaking away from Roadbuster again, Shane and Cade ran towards the car, determined to rescue Tessa before she was snatched from their clutches by Lockdown. Scrambling up, Roadbuster took off after them, snapping out the heavy dagger he carried as a reminder of centuries long passed.  
'Get out of the car Tessa! Get out! You can still make it out!' Leadfoot coaxed, trying to reach her so he could get her to safety. 'Get out!'  
'Tessa! Get out!' Cade cried, grabbing onto the net and trying to get her out.  
'Dad! Help me! Help me dad! Help me!' Tessa begged, grabbing onto his through an open window. 'Dad!'

Managing to grab hold of the net, Roadbuster tried to bring his knife up but there was too greater chance of accidentally hurting Cade or Tessa so he folded it away and tried to open the netting enough for Tessa to crawl out onto his arm.  
'Dad! Dad!'  
'Tessa! Break the glass! Break the glass to get out!'  
'I'm trying!'  
'Tessa! I can't hold on! Tessa! I can't hold on!'  
'Help me!'  
'Buster, do something!' Leadfoot pleaded, hating to see the young woman trapped in this mess.  
'I can't, I could hurt them.' Roadbuster replied, managing to shatter a side window but he couldn't get his hand in. 'Tessa! Can you reach my finger?'

Sensing Cade losing his grip on the net, Roadbuster made the choice and let go of the net, twisting over to catch Cade and wrap him in both hands for protection. Rolling over, he watched in horror and sorrow as the ship sped away with his mate and leader, along with one terrified human woman who had no reason to be in this mess.  
'Leadfoot!' Roadbuster cried, feeling Cade beating on his chest as he screamed for his daughter.  
'Roadbuster! Are you okay?' Topspin asked, hurrying towards them with Speedshot leaning on his shoulder.  
'Minimal damage but we failed.' Roadbuster nodded, looking around slowly. 'I couldn't save them. I couldn't get to them in time.'  
'It's not your fault, Roadbuster. We all misjudged the situation.' Wheeljack offered, taking a knee beside him. 'There's nothing any of us could have done.'  
'I should have been able to get Tessa out. I could have gotten her out.' Roadbuster uttered, hanging his head. 'I almost had her but I made the choice to protect Cade.'  
'We'll get them all back.' Wheeljack promised, getting up and helping Roadbuster to his feet. 'But we can't do that until we regroup and relocate.'  
'Not to mention repair.' Topspin nodded, curling his free arm around Roadbuster's waist. 'Come on, there's a lot to do if we're ever gonna get them back.'


	27. Striking Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay guys, muses weren't cooperating with me. But I'm back and hopefully can get this fic finished before I get dragged away to work on something else.

Finally managing to get out from underneath Optimus, Leadfoot scowled at the damage done to his left hip. At best he could partially patch the damage but he knew the patch job wouldn't hold for long and he still had to figure out how to get them off this blasted ship before it went into orbit. Exactly how he was meant to do that, he didn't have a clue but he would give it his best attempt. He also had to make sure Tessa remained safe, she was already terrified and right now he was the only one who had any chance of protecting her.

Landing heavily on some sort of platform, Leadfoot rolled clear and fell limply to the decking, playing up his injured status and hoping Lockdown didn't decide to tear him apart for Intel. With his secondary generator offline, he would have to rely on his old training and skills to keep him alive and make sure Tessa made it off this ship safely.  
'Take that human to the trash, along with that useless waste of metal.' Lockdown ordered, pointing straight at Leadfoot before turning and leaving with Optimus.  
'Leadfoot.' Tessa whimpered, still huddled within the ruined car.  
'Shh, we'll be okay, lil' miss. I'll keep ya safe.' Leadfoot uttered, redirecting his self-repair system to his hip. 'I'll get ya back home. Just leave it to ol' Leadfoot.'  
'What is goin' on out there?' Wheelie asked, still safe in the bag Tessa had been charged with taking care of. 'Where are we?'  
'Ya don't wanna know, Wheelie.' Leadfoot replied, thankful that these enemy drones had a hold of his good leg.  
'I gotta know…is this the end?' Wheelie pushed; his voice so soft that Leadfoot almost didn't hear him.  
'Not if I got anythin' to say about it.' Leadfoot promised, running a quick diagnostic to check all his primary systems were functional.

Dragged into a smelter chamber, Leadfoot waited for the drones to release him and made his move, smashing the nearest drones with one hand as he carefully rolled the car over and held out his hand. Emerging from the wreckage, Tessa crawled into his hand and hugged Wheelie's bag to her chest as Leadfoot stood and opened fire on the reaching claws coming towards them.  
'Whatever ya do, don't let go.' Leadfoot instructed, cradling her close to his chest as he turned and ran down the corridor.

Breaking left, he made a split second choice and transformed around his precious companions, protecting them behind his armour as he sped through the winding corridors. He still wasn't exactly sure how to get off this ship but he had a better chance of figuring it out so long as he kept moving and didn't run out of ammo any time soon.  
'So what's the plan?' Tessa asked, looking around in fear as the walls flashed past them.  
"Survive until backup arrives." Leadfoot replied, running straight over a sentry drone and zipping around another corner. "But I need you to do something for me right now."  
'What?' Tessa nodded, setting Wheelie's bag on the navigator's seat and pushing her hair out of her eyes.  
"Lean into the back, down behind ya seat. Ya should be able to see a few hoses dripping fluids." Leadfoot guided, still mostly focused on the path ahead.  
'I see them.' Tessa confirmed, reaching out to touch the four damaged cables.  
"Okay, wrap this around those hoses to stop the leaks." Leadfoot instructed, flicking a roll of duct tape towards her. "Make sure it's tight but not too constrictin'. Think of it like a pressure bandage when ya cut ya finger. I just bleed a rainbow."  
'Okay, I can do that.' Tessa chuckled weakly as she set about the repairs. 'So why a rainbow?'  
"The dark caramel is oil, standard earth stuff but it works great for us. Green is coolant, modified to suit our systems but harmless to humans. The dark pink-purple is energon, our lifeblood and primary fuel but it's been slightly modified so it's not dangerous to humans. The yellow is waste, some filtered from my other systems and some flushed from filters across my body." Leadfoot explained, realising that Tessa was starting to relax the more he talked.  
'So what about these damaged wires here?' Tessa asked, touching several shredded wires she could see.  
"I didn't realise those were damaged. Everything is colour coded and I'm here to help if you get into difficulty." Leadfoot confirmed, narrowly avoiding a security patrol. "Just be careful, my wiring is equivalent to ya nerves. Highly sensitive and easily damaged."  
'I'll be gentle.' Tessa nodded, leaning over further and starting to twist the wires back together before wrapping them in duct tape for added protection.  
"Can you see a thick white and red cable? It's about two inches in diameter?" Leadfoot asked, concerned by some glitches in his sensor readings.  
'Yeah, I see it. It's got some damage but it's mostly intact.' Tessa confirmed, reaching out to lightly touch the thick cable. 'What's it for?'  
"Primary sensor relays, everything runs through that cable. Alright, ya gonna have to patch that cable." Leadfoot coached, shifting panels to reveal the wire patch kit they all carried. "Take this blue box, ya gonna need it."  
'What do I do?' Tessa asked, grabbing the box and climbing into the back fully for better access.  
"In the box you'll find gloves, goggles, lengths of wiring and cutting tools. All ya gotta do is match the wires, cut a piece to fit and tape the patch into my primary sensor cable." Leadfoot directed, trying to keep his tone light and relaxed.  
'Okay, I can do that.' Tessa nodded, pulling on the gloves and starting the repairs. 'Let me know if this hurts.'  
"Be extremely careful with that cable, Tessa. It is similar to your spinal column in terms of importance." Leadfoot warned, doing his best not to jostle her around much as he continued to race through the corridors.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Left in command now that Blade was leading the Aerialbots on a mission to try and bring down Lockdown's ship, Prowl and Ironhide conferred quickly and came up with a daring plan that would hopefully balance out several problems and give them the best chance of rescuing Prime, Leadfoot and Tessa from the Bounty Hunter. It wasn't much of a plan but it was the best chance they had at putting an end to Lockdown once and for all.

With Ratchet and the medical team working hard to get the wounded back on their feet, Ironhide and Prowl led their remaining combatants back into Chicago and towards the hovering ship. No one could figure out why Lockdown hadn't left yet but they weren't about to argue with that tactical advantage. Now they just needed to get to the ship before it was too late for them to stage a rescue.

Ratchet hadn't been willing to let Ironhide leave, concerned about his weapons systems and the supposedly destroyed control module. Only once Ironhide proved that it was a secondary control module that Lockdown had destroyed did Ratchet finally clear him for the mission. He also provided a new secondary control module, securing the redundant systems that Ironhide needed if he was going to maintain heavy fire support.

Charging through the streets, the remaining ground force picked their route primarily for speed but they also tried to avoid crowded areas, not wanting to risk hitting anyone in their mad rush to get their people back from that Bounty Hunter. As normal, the Wreckers led the charge, Speedshot showing no signs of the beating he'd already taken in the sprint to save Leadfoot from the unknown. They were already trying to work out what Leadfoot's plan might be but their repeated calls for their mate were going unanswered. Whatever he had in mind, he was keeping it to himself for now.

Skidding to a halt on a bridge that gave them easy access to the ship, Bumblebee let Cade and Shane out before getting to his feet. The two humans barely even paused, running to get even closer to the ship as the Autobots scanned the hull for access points.  
'Come on! Come on!' Cade called, determined to rescue his daughter. 'Bee! Come on!'  
'Enough wasting time! Let's do this!' Sam agreed, double checking his borrowed pistol was secure on his belt.  
'It's a bad idea but I'm all about bad ideas.' Hound nodded, looking at Mirage for a moment and smiling around his cygar. 'Let's go!'  
'Well, let's rock.' Crosshairs smirked, launching out towards the ship with Sidewinder right beside him.

Clearing the gaps and scrambling up onto the top of the ugly ship, the small team picked their way across the open structures carefully. No one wanted to fall and give their position away or risk knocking the humans into the ship before they were ready to make their move.  
'This is crazy.' Shane breathed, looking down into the ship.  
'Look, if you wanna cut and run, you'd better do it now.' Cade replied, looking at Shane with hard eyes. 'I'm gonna die trying.'  
'Hey, I'm not here to help you get your daughter. You're here to help me get my girlfriend.' Shane countered, meeting Cade's stare.  
'No, we're here to rescue Tessa Yeager, not Dyson. I couldn't care less about what you want, Shane. We're here to support Cade.' Lennox snarled, patting the rifle he'd borrowed from one of Emily's old stockpiles. It wasn't much but he felt better having it. 'Let's move!'  
'Alright Overwatch, we're going in.' Ironhide reported as he started climbing down into the ship.  
"Copy that Ironhide, we're pulling back." Blade confirmed, unwilling to risk a wild shot hitting one of his people. "We'll wait for your call."  
'Acknowledged.' Ironhide nodded, activating another set of long unused protocols to make the mission a little easier.

Regrouping inside the ship, the team kept their optics peeled for threats and watched out for each other as the last members of the team climbed down and took up positions.  
'We're behind enemy lines now. Lockdown's ship has booby traps. Eyes open.' Hound warned, lifting one of his guns and looking around slowly.  
'Beware of bone grinders, brain blinders, flesh peelers, chromosomal inverters, catatonic sludge, black hole trapdoors and of course radiation.' Crosshairs listed, resting one hand on Sidewinder's shoulder lightly.  
'Not to mention gloop, shockgunk, snap traps and all manner of exotic creatures.' Sidewinder added, looking at his mate with a grin. 'Gloop and shockgunk aren't a serious threat, they're part of my arsenal and I don't shoot allies. But if you see any grey or silver sludge around, don't make any contact with it.'  
'We must be quick. We have the element of surprise. Let's try to use violence as a last resort.' Drift guided, swinging his swords slowly.

Suddenly one of the onboard monsters appeared, a reaching mechanical tentacle emerging from the wall only to be quickly cut into pieces by Drift's deadly swords.  
'Get it!' Crosshairs grinned, keeping his distance from the monster.  
'I kill you.' Drift growled, thrusting his sword down one of the holes in the wall.  
'Eww, hate those things.' Crosshairs shuddered, glancing at Sidewinder again.  
'Freaky.' Cade uttered, shocked by the sight.  
'It's not alive anymore.' Drift promised, turning back to the team.  
'Well, we looked. They're not here. Let's go.' Crosshairs sighed, throwing up his hands.  
'What? Hey, I'm not going anywhere without Tessa.' Cade demanded, refusing to back down.  
'I'm unclear. What's in it for me?' Crosshairs challenged, prodding Cade in the chest.  
'What's in it for you?'  
'I don't blow ya circuits!' Speedshot snarled, ignoring Sidewinder's flared weapons and poking Crosshairs with his shoulder weaponry.  
'Easy, easy, let's use words.' Crosshairs coaxed, holding up his hands.  
'What's in it for you is I don't kill ya.' Hound agreed, also prodding Crosshairs. 'We're gettin' the Boss back. And the girl. And Leadfoot. Copy?'  
'Okay, okay. Very persuasive. Text book machismo.' Crosshairs relented, a little surprised that Sidewinder hadn't stepped up to support him. 'Well then, we'll need to sabotage something.'  
'Better hurry, because dark matter drives are preparing to take off.' Drift warned, drawing attention to the ever increasing hum around them.  
'Aw hell. If he launches, we're in trouble. This ship ain't rated to hold atmosphere.' Falcon groaned, looking down at the humans.  
'I give us ten minutes.' Hot Rod calculated, looking around quickly.  
'Is that what that sound is?' Shane asked, looking around for answers. 'It's the engines spooling up? Are you telling me that thing is gonna be flying out of here in ten minutes?'  
'Uh-ha.' Drift confirmed, scanning the walls for any clues of which way to the engines.  
'Could be nine. Worst case, seven.' Decal added, resting one hand on the nearest wall to try and read the ship.  
'We'll take the humans. We've got the best chance of findin' Leadfoot.' Topspin insisted, offering his hand to the men. 'Knowin' Leadfoot, he's got Tessa.'  
'We're wasting time, let's go.' Cade agreed, climbing up and dragging Shane with him.  
'Jazz and I will assist you.' Prowl nodded, moving forward to join the Wreckers.  
'So will we.' Slash added, motioning his smaller team towards the Wreckers.  
'We'll do what we can to distract Lockdown.' Scorpion smirked, patting his sniper rifle lightly.  
'The rest of us will find the centre core.' Ironhide directed, snapping out his cannons. 'Switch to secondary comm frequencies. Let's keep this asshole off our airwaves.'  
'We'll try and shut down internal scanners, Lockdown can't hunt if he can't find us.' Decal chuckled, leading Falcon away down a different corridor.  
'Let's move.' Drift guided, leading one small team away at a jog.  
'Come on, let's find Prime.' Sunstreaker grinned, pistols raised as he followed Sideswipe down a different corridor.  
'Let's stop this nightmare ship.' Crosshairs growled, tapping Sidewinder and heading off to see what they could destroy.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Continuing to circle the hideous looking ship, the Aerialbots kept their distance but remained on high alert just in case they were called into assist with the rescue or an escape. Suddenly though, they had a highly confusing complication to handle. Someone had activated the anchor lines from the ship, filling one quadrant of airspace with cables of various widths and lengths as they wrapped around and locked onto a few buildings too close to the ship.

Unable to brake or manoeuvre clear in time, Cosmo let out a scream as he went careening into the cables, the impact sheering one wing in half and severely damaging the other. Forcing his transformation, as much as it hurt, he grabbed the cables and groaned as he dangled from one hand and tried to come up with a solution to this mess. He wasn't getting out of this one without help, as much as he hated to even ask. He usually could find a way out of any situation but this was one time that he would need someone else.

Sweeping around together, Bits and Mark transformed and entered a stable hover beside Cosmo, both reaching out to steady him on the flimsy cables. Careful not to get tangled themselves, the mobile pair drifted closer to Cosmo and gently eased him off the cables, doing their best not to cause further pain or get tangled in the lines.  
'Come on bro, let's get ya back to the medics.' Bits uttered, guiding one arm around his shoulders.  
'Could have happened to any of us.' Mark agreed, getting a secure grip and checking for danger.  
'Thanks bros.' Cosmo nodded, holding tight and powering up his thrusters. 'Shift is gonna start cryin' again. I just know it.'  
'He loves ya, plain and simple.' Bits chuckled, guiding them through the cables and down to a better altitude for base-mode flight.  
'We're gonna need cover here, bros. Cosmo is seriously hurt.' Mark instructed, tucking closer to their wounded companion.  
"Copy that, we've got ya back." Blade confirmed, swinging around to take up a defensive position above them. "Medical, we have a code 3 inbound."  
"Acknowledged, we're standing by." Ratchet confirmed, totally in control of the situation.  
"Whichever idiot in there launched the docking cables, ya aim sucks. Cosmo groused, trying to ignore the pain from his wings. "Right in the wings."  
"Oops, sorry about that bro." Sidewinder replied, definitely embarrassed by that tone. "We're tryin' to disable this thing. Pulled the wrong crystal."  
"Without the crystal, he can't retract the cables either so we've got some time." Crosshairs added, also a little embarrassed by the mishap. "Ya can pay us back after for the insult."  
"I fully intend to." Cosmo replied, hating to miss the fight but he needed medical attention now.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Watching out for each other as only they could, the Wreckers led their expanded team through the twisting network of corridors and cell blocks in search of their targets. At the moment Roadbuster had the lead, Lennox perched on his shoulder as they scouted ahead of the primary team. Roadbuster had locked onto Leadfoot's signal but the complexity of the ship made it hard to locate exactly where he was at the moment.

Picking up on something he didn't like the feel of, Roadbuster signalled for the team to wait and dropped to one knee, directing his strongest sensors towards the disturbance ahead. Recognising a search drone, he swore softly and stood, hurrying back to the primary team and leading them down a different corridor.  
'We lost the surprise. Lockdown's unleashed search drones and I'd say they're ship wide.' Roadbuster warned, searching for a place to take cover.  
'Well that makes it harder.' Topspin sighed, darting for cover and hunkering down. 'Ambush, right here.'  
'Runnin' low on ammo.' Speedshot warned, taking cover and setting Cade and Shane on the floor quickly. 'Find a spot to hide, this is about to get messy.'  
'Come on, these things are gonna find us.' Prowl hissed, bolting for cover with Sam.  
'Hurry, hide.' Slash coaxed, diving for cover and hugging the walls.  
'This is a bad idea.' Windvest uttered, dropping to the floor and hunkering down.  
'Nah, just an unplanned ambush.' Roadbuster chuckled, making sure Lennox was safe and flaring out his weapons.

Hunting for cover, Bonfire swore when he bumped something and suddenly the statues around the walls started changing shape and revealed walls of weapons just waiting for someone to pick them up.  
'Whoa.' Shane breathed, looking up at the displays.  
'Weapons!' Cade called, looking around slowly.  
'By Primus, this stuff is ancient.' Topspin uttered, emerging from cover to look at the weapons.  
'Ohh, shot-darts. These will be helpful.' Prowl noted, approaching the wall and lifting down two tiny weapons. 'Originally used by minibots, they should be about the right size for humans.'  
'How do they work?' Lennox asked, accepting one of the ancient weapons.  
'I have no idea. These weapons went out of use a long time ago.' Prowl shrugged, moving back out of sight. 'You'll figure it out.'  
'Run ya hands along the edges. Squeeze the surfaces and ya should hit a trigger point. After that, it's all pretty simple.' Topspin instructed, peeking out from his hiding spot. 'Don't look so shocked, Prowl. Weapons are our speciality.'  
'There are some weird sounds out there.' Shane uttered, pressing closer to the wall behind him.  
'Everyone stay cool. Wait for the searchers to come to us, then we blow 'em away.' Speedshot instructed, reaching out to rest one hand on Roadbuster's side. 'Let 'em come.'

Holding still as the red search lasers scanned the room, the Autobots kept watch over the humans and tried to locate the enemy agents without using active scanning and giving away their locations. Double checking that the humans were safe and had their weapons activated, Topspin dropped his weight and signalled that he was leading this ambush.  
'Alright, we're not going down without a fight.' Cade nodded, lifting his weapon in readiness.  
'They turn that corner and we're gonna take 'em.' Lennox agreed, watching the other flank with his active shot-dart. 'You ready or you gonna bitch out on us?'  
'No, I got ya back.' Shane replied, holding a third dark that Jazz had tossed him.  
'Are you ready?' Cade asked, trying to get them all hyped up for the fight.  
'Absolutely.' Sam nodded, armed and ready for the fight.  
'Don't bitch out on us! Are you ready?' Cade demanded, gaze flicking to Shane.  
'Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah!' Shane confirmed, flinching as the search drones opened fire.

No one was overly surprised when Shane suddenly launched out from hiding and surrendered to the sentry drones. Reacting in a microsecond, Topspin broke cover and opened fire, allowing Shane to scramble back out of sight.  
'Boy, you take useless to a whole new level.' Jazz growled, breaking cover and opening fire.  
'Feed fail!' Speedshot warned, ducking back as a shot came way too close to his head. 'Cover fire!'  
'We got ya Shot!' Roadbuster replied, taking out the smaller drones swarming towards them.  
'Where do they keep coming from?' Ghost asked, dropping another walking menace.  
'Worry about that later. Kill 'em.' Slash growled, advancing and dropping to one knee as he deployed his shoulder rocket launcher.  
'I'm sorry. I'm sorry.' Shane panted, barely holding it together in fear. 'I'm so, so, so sorry.'

Making his move, Speedshot broke cover and ran for the nearest weapons rack, grabbing a larger version of the shot-darts as he spun around and triggered it open. Bracing the powerful weapon against his shoulder, he opened fire on the approaching drones with a low growl and a fierce look on his face.  
'Come on ya bastards! I ain't scared of ya!' Speedshot yelled, moving past the humans and sweeping his aim across the drones. 'c'mon, we're movin' out.'  
'Let's go, Lucky Charms.' Roadbuster growled, scooping Shane up and grabbing a matching rifleblade from the display racks.  
'Wreckers have the lead.' Topspin nodded, grabbing a pair of the larger weapons and subspacing one for Leadfoot before joining the lead group with the stolen weapon pressed to his shoulder.  
'Don't worry Cade, this is what they do best.' Jazz grinned, collecting Cade and hurrying after the Wreckers. 'They thrive in dangerous situations.'  
'Oh man, I am so gonna patent this shit.' Cade crowed, looking down at the weapon he'd been trusted with.  
'Heh, ya gonna have a fight on ya hands for that one, Cade. This is our tech and Prime never wanted to share our weapons with humans.' Jazz chuckled, constantly searching for threats and dealing with them as quickly as possible.  
'Up you come Sam. We'll be outta here in no time.' Slash grinned, settling Sam on his shoulder and joining the escape run.  
'Now this is more like it. I hate skulking around.' Bonfire chuckled, picking up Lennox and taking up a rear position in the assault team.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Cursing his still offline secondary generator, Leadfoot continued to play dodge the search drones through the twisting network of this accursed ship. He'd been forced back onto his feet, his engine making it far too easy for the enemy troops to track him but the running was murder on his damaged hip struts. Ratchet would have his head for this, even thought it technically wasn't his fault.  
'Ya still okay, lil' miss?' he asked, hustling down another corridor.  
'Not really but I'm not hurt.' Tessa replied, curled up in an armoured pocket between his chestplates. 'Wheelie's finally gone quiet.'  
'He's savin' energy, probably feelin' low right now.' Leadfoot sighed, pausing for a moment to check their surroundings.  
'Tess!' Cade's voice was faint but they both clearly heard it.  
'Dad!' Tessa cried, sitting up in the pocket. 'Help us!'  
'Leadfoot! Where are ya?' Roadbuster called, somewhere below and behind them.  
'Hold position, we're coming!' Leadfoot directed, turning around and racing back towards a ramp he'd bypassed.

Slide-running down the ramp, Leadfoot felt something in his hip give and dropped back to an unsteady lope, determined to reach his mates and get off this ship before anything else went wrong. For now the pain was bearable but something was definitely severely damaged in the joint and he wasn't quite sure what.  
'Are you okay?' Tessa asked, looking up at him worriedly.  
'That hip is worse than I thought.' Leadfoot uttered, slowing right down in an attempt to reduce any further damage. 'Buster! Spin! Shot!'  
'I hear ya, Lead!' Topspin replied, appearing from around a corner ahead. 'Oh frag, ya look like hell, Leadfoot.'  
'Getting stuck under Prime will do that.' Leadfoot shrugged, easing back to a steady limp. 'Oh frag, Ratchet's gotta have my head for this.'  
'Tessa!' Cade called, clutching at Jazz's shoulder even as he leaned forward.  
'Right here dad!' Tessa waved, standing up in the pocket. 'I'm okay, Leadfoot kept me safe.'  
'All part of the service, lil' miss.' Leadfoot chuckled, resting one hand over the pocket lightly.  
'As tempted as we were to leave this lugnut behind, we kept him safe for ya Tessa.' Roadbuster added, thrusting his thumb at Shane on his shoulder. 'Dumb prick gave our position away to these drones.'  
'I don't want him then. I got enough trouble right now.' Leadfoot groaned, shifting slowly where he stood. 'This hip is scrapped.'  
'Looks like ya stuck with ya Lucky Charms, Buster.' Speedshot smirked, coming forward and taking a knee beside his injured mate. 'Hold still, I'll see what I can do to patch ya up again.'  
'Sit down, shut up and hang on, kid.' Roadbuster growled, adjusting his grip on the rifleblade he was carrying. 'Spin grabbed ya one of these, figured ya'd want one.'  
'Rifleblades? I thought these things were ancient history even for us.' Leadfoot uttered, turning his attention to Topspin. 'Give it up Spin.'  
'Shoulda grabbed an extra. Ironhide would love one of these.' Topspin sighed, handing over the weapon he was holding and pulling out the stashed one.  
'Here, take this one. Figured a spare would be smart.' Ghost grinned, presenting another of the ancient rifleblades.  
'Nah, you give that to Ironhide. He used to have one but lost it millennia ago.' Topspin replied, spinning around and taking out another search drone coming towards them. 'We can't stay here. How much longer until we move out?'  
'Almost done.' Speedshot replied, nudging Leadfoot to lean over a little more. 'Just gotta secure this last fracture.'  
'Shouldn't that hurt?' Tessa asked, making sure that Wheelie was still secure in his bag.  
'We can turn off our pain receptors, unlike humans. Had mine switched off since we left the smelter chamber.' Leadfoot shrugged, checking over the rifleblade in his hands. 'They come back online every so often but it's no big deal.'

Removing his fingers from Leadfoot's hip, Speedshot scooped up his weapon and stood. Scanning for threats, he nodded sharply and turned back to the team as his doorwings twitched in rhythm.  
'Alright, that'll hold for now but we're gonna have to slow right down. That hip ain't gonna last much longer.' Speedshot warned, hefting his rifleblade. 'So we're gonna find the nearest way off this ship and bail out.'  
'What about Prime and the others?' Jazz asked, visor flashing dangerously.  
'Ironhide, we've located Leadfoot and Tessa. Lead's got some severe damage, we're gonna bail soon as we find an exit.' Topspin reported, continuing to scan for threats.  
"Copy that, Topspin. Get outta here, we'll handle the rest." Ironhide confirmed, sounding just a little ticked off at someone or something.  
'Acknowledged, Ironhide. We're outta here.' Speedshot replied, turning and leading the way down another corridor. 'Decal, you got any readin's for us? I reckon we've got five minutes before we gotta carry Leadfoot outta here.'  
"There's only one option but you ain't going to like it." Decal offered, his tone warning them of bad news to come. "The only chance you've got is to climb down the anchor cables and arrange an aerial pickup from there. Otherwise it's a ten minute run to the nearest hanger."  
'Are you fraggin' serious? Anchor cables?' Roadbuster groused, deeply disturbed by the idea.  
"Sorry guys, that's all I got for you." Decal sighed, still searching for other answers but there was no other choice. "Either send Slash and his team to the hanger to maybe steal some transport or down you climb."  
'We got no choice. We'll take the humans and head for the cables.' Speedshot sighed, reaching out to collect Lennox. 'The rest of ya, head for the hanger and see what ya can steal.'  
'Maybe we should take the humans.' Prowl suggested, wary of risking the humans on the cables.  
'Not a chance.' Leadfoot and Tessa spoke in unison, surprising everyone around them.  
'I made a promise to see this lil' miss safely off this ship.' Leadfoot continued, looking around slowly. 'That's exactly what I'm gonna do.'  
'Yeah, I trust Leadfoot. I don't really know you.' Tessa agreed, keeping Wheelie's bag tucked to her chest. 'I ain't leaving him.'  
'Dear Primus, we've corrupted her.' Speedshot muttered, securing Lennox in a similar pocket on his chestplate. 'Just go, Prowl. We've got this covered.'  
'Very well. We will see you at the rendezvous.' Prowl agreed, moving back as Jazz handed Cade to Leadfoot. 'Be safe, all of you.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Towards the rear of the ship, Hound and his team kept their distance as Sidewinder finished attaching a highly specialised charge to the large iris-style hatch they had located. The charge wasn't designed to damage the hatch, but rather it was designed to send an electromagnetic charge through the structure and disable any locks or other devices holding the hatch closed. Making absolutely sure the bomb was placed properly, Sidewinder retreated a few steps and looked back over his shoulder.  
'Fire in the hole.' he warned, bracing his weight just in case and triggering the bomb.

There was a crackle of electricity in the air and a faint popping noise before the bomb dropped off the hatch. Hound opened his mouth to make a comment but before he could speak, the hatch opened up to reveal an unexplored section of the ship.  
'Heh, what'd I tell ya. Works every time.' Sidewinder chuckled, stooping to pick up the bomb casing. 'And still good for another few shocks.'  
'Big boy comin' through! Move! Move! Move!' Hound called, advancing into the revealed area.  
'Whoa.' Crosshairs uttered, looking around in disbelief.  
'This must be the super max.' Mirage warned, blades out as he stayed behind Hound.  
'Watch the corridors.' Hound instructed, sweeping for threats and searching for Optimus.  
'There's a lot of cages.' Drift remarked, constantly watching for threats.  
'Oh yeah, some creepy critters in here.' Hound agreed, turning and scanning the cages slowly.  
'I don't wanna know what's in the big cage.' Crosshairs added, glancing at Sidewinder.

Lowering his favourite cannon slowly, Hound took a closer look in one of the smaller cages, equal parts curious and disgusted by the ugly little creature locked inside. It was only tiny compared to them but considering their location, it had to be dangerous.  
'What's this?' Hound asked, drawing attention to the creature.  
'Hound, don't do it.' Crosshairs warned, instantly uncomfortable around the little beast.  
'Ah, you don't look very dangerous in there.' Hound continued, moving closer and bending down for a closer look.  
'This is going to end badly.' Mirage sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'Oh, that's festering ugliness.' Hound noted, deeply disturbed by the dripping vertical jaws revealed when the creature moved its twisted arms apart.

Before anyone could even think, the creature spat a vibrant green substance straight into Hound's face, startling everyone as Hound stumbled back, spun around and fell to the ground.  
'I'm hit! I'm down! It's melting! It burns! Oh, I think its acid!' Hound cried, finally getting a good look at his hand. 'Uuhh, nuts! It's just schizzle.'  
'Eww, I hope that's not contagious.' Crosshairs remarked, keeping his distance.  
'4-12, we have a 4-12 in the super max.' Mirage smirked, looking down at his mate. 'Really Hound, you deserve an award for overreacting.'  
'Very funny Raj.' Hound sighed, sitting up slowly and looking towards the cage. 'Hey, I gotta hurt ya now. You're just too disturbing to live.'  
'Allow me, Hound. This should be good.' Sidewinder chuckled, revealing an absolutely tiny black disk between two fingers.

Flipping his hand over, he flicked the disk into the cage and sniggered as the ugly little beastie caught it mid air and swallowed it whole. Backing up a step, Sidewinder spread out his shield for protection as the creature exploded in a wave of organic matter and green sludge.  
'Take that bitch.' Hound crowed, amazed that something so tiny could make such a mess. 'Oh, you're dead.'  
'Hound!' Optimus called, drawing everyone away from the creatures in here.  
'He's alive!' Hound hollered, rolling over and climbing to his feet.  
'Hold on Boss, we're comin'!' Crosshairs yelled, trying to locate Optimus.  
'Optimus! Sound off!' Sidewinder ordered, adjusting his audios to better pick up the response.  
'In here! Quick!' Optimus guided, drawing the team closer.  
'Hang on, we're comin' for ya!' Hound replied, leading the charge through the cellblock.  
'The arms of this Knight Ship detach. We can break free.' Optimus directed, giving them a new direction as Drift lashed out with one sword and forced the cell door open. 'It's a separate ship.'  
'Where's the cockpit? Right or left?' Hound asked, crawling into the opened cell.  
'Right.' Optimus replied, pointing with his helm.  
'We're on it Boss.' Mirage nodded, waiting for Hound before leaving the room.  
'Hurry. We have no time.' Optimus continued, looking up at Drift and Sidewinder as they started on the large spikes protruding from the walls.

Pulling a long roll of thick white cord from his subspace, Sidewinder secured a small weight to one end and fed out a length of the cord before tossing the weight up and over the spikes at Optimus' right. Catching the weight as Drift continued hacking at the spikes on the other side, Sidewinder flicked the cord into a better position and cut the length free of the coil.  
'Another explosive of yours?' Drift asked, moving back so Sidewinder could get at the left side of the cell.  
'This one is inspired by humans. They use similar stuff but I tinkered with the recipe a little.' Sidewinder nodded, rigging up the second line and making sure it was wrapped around all of the spikes. 'Cover ya face, Prime. Everyone else get back.'

Finishing the basic set up and readjusting his shield again, Sidewinder blocked the doorway with his body and ignited the cords simultaneously. He had been built to withstand explosions a lot stronger than anything that they used so he had no fear of standing right here in front of Optimus as the charges detonated.  
'We clear?' Crosshairs asked, coming out from cover as the spikes clattered to the ground.  
'Not yet. Still gotta get Prime down.' Sidewinder replied, looking up and accessing the next step in his plan. 'Brace yourself, this is gonna hurt.'  
'Another indignity on a bad day.' Optimus sighed, stretching out his arms and preparing for an awkward fall.  
'I'll try and make it as gentle as possible.' Sidewinder replied, patting Optimus' chest lightly.

Selecting another charge from his kit, Sidewinder circled the cramped cell and took aim on the clawed hand holding Optimus suspended. Cocking his arm back, he locked his aim and pitched the sticky bomb almost vertically and grinned as it stuck firmly to the arm and sent back a clear signal to his remote detonator.  
'Okay, here we go.' Sidewinder warned, backing out of the cell and moving to the side. 'Expand your secondary shield and use it to slow the fall.'  
'I'm ready.' Optimus nodded, pushing his shield out to fill the cell and reach out the door.  
'Fire in the hole. In three…two…one.'

With a sharp crack, the sticky bomb exploded, destroying the claws and dropping Optimus to the deck with a heavy thump. Admittedly, the thump was a lot softer than expected but it still clearly hurt their leader.  
'You okay, Prime?' Sidewinder asked, returning to Optimus and kneeling beside him.  
'That shield idea failed.' Optimus groaned, sitting up slowly.  
'All Autobots, head for my location. We have the primary.' Sidewinder broadcast, moving back as Optimus eased to his feet. 'All Autobots, head for my location!'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Stepping out onto the platform where the anchor cables had been launched from, the Wreckers paused and looked down towards the buildings at the other end of the dancing cables. The angle was far steeper than they had prepared for and all four were nervous about stepping out onto the unsteady lines.  
'I am not doing this. I'm not doing that.' Tessa insisted, peering out from her pocket nervously.  
'Yes we are. It does gonna be okay, lil miss. We can do this.' Leadfoot soothed, resting one hand over the pocket. 'I'll keep ya safe, no matter what.'  
'Here goes nothin'.' Speedshot uttered, stepping down onto the widest cable and lowering his weight. 'Nice and easy. Hold on tight Lennox, this will get hairy.'  
'Ya hold on real tight now, both of ya.' Topspin instructed, subspacing his rifleblade and easing down to sit on the edge of the platform. 'Shot, ya take Lead down that wide cable. I'll go underneath on these narrower ones.'  
'Whatever ya do, don't look down Lucky Charms.' Roadbuster warned, taking a seat and reaching out for the nearest cable.  
'Are you fucking serious?' Sam cried, sinking back into his pocket.  
'Nothin' to it Sam. We've made similar escapes before.' Topspin shrugged, reaching up to slide a lightweight mesh over the top of the pocket to keep Sam and Cade safe. 'Just sit down, hold onto the provided anchors and keep quiet.'  
'That goes for you as well, Shane. Not one word until we're back on solid ground.' Roadbuster growled, depositing Shane in his chest pocket and closing the mesh cover. 'Ready?'  
'Here goes nothin'.' Topspin nodded, getting a firm grip on the cable and dropping off the platform smoothly.

Taking Leadfoot's hand, Speedshot concentrated on the shaking cable and inched forward slowly, lifting his feet only enough to clear the hinges along the length. Keeping his gaze on the cable, he continued shuffling forward slowly but surely, listening to Leadfoot's feet scraping at the cables.  
'That's it, nice and easy. We can do this, one step at a time.' Speedshot coaxed, continuing to ease along the cable. 'how you two doin' down there?'  
'Nothin' to it, Shot. Just like learnin' to transform.' Roadbuster replied, making his way along a single cable hand over hand.  
'The wind makes it a little tough but we'll manage.' Topspin agreed, spreading his weight across two even thinner cables. 'No worse than that time escapin' from Shockwave back in the day.'  
'We're not talkin' about that now!' Leadfoot snapped, concentrating on each step.  
'Cool it, all of ya.' Speedshot growled, continuing to pick his way along the shuddering cable.

At least the Aerialbots were doing their bit to make this passage as easy as possible by staying away from the cables. The last thing the Wreckers needed was the turbulence from their jets sending the cables into a deadly dance. Struggling to keep his balance on the steep cables, Speedshot activated the weak magnets in his pedes and continued down the cable, just hoping that the grip was enough to keep them both secure.  
'Oh my god. Oh my god.' Tessa gasped, peering out of her hiding spot.  
'Shh, ya safe lil miss. I won't let ya fall.' Leadfoot promised, peering past Speedshot for a moment. 'We'll be okay. Just let me focus.'  
'Come on, where's our aerial support.' Speedshot growled, wobbling dangerously for a moment.  
'Dunno about ya, but I'm glad there's no aerial support right now.' Topspin replied, continuing to swing along the cables. 'It's windy enough up here!'  
'This is the Windy City after all.' Roadbuster quipped, tightening his grip against another gust.  
'Not helping guys.' Speedshot snapped, inching forward again.

Looking back towards the ship, Leadfoot's energon ran to ice when he saw several of Lockdown's mechanical pets on the platform. Growling and snapping, several of them jumped onto the cables and gave chase, unafraid of the height or the wind.  
'Pick up the pace, guys. We've got steeljaws on our six.' Leadfoot warned, lifting his right arm and deploying the heavy machine gun mounted there. 'I count four so far.'  
'Aw fuck, that's the last thing we need right now.' Speedshot groused, continuing to move forward slowly. 'Can ya take 'em out.'  
'I'll try.' Leadfoot nodded, drawing his aim on one of the beasts and sending the fire command.

Making a dangerous choice when Leadfoot lowered his arm and called out a weapons malfunction, Topspin released one pincer from the cables and verified that his weapons were still functioning properly. Doing his best to steady his aim despite the wind trying to knock him off the cable, he concentrated and opened fire on the approaching steeljaws.

His first volley was good, striking one of the creatures in the neck and knocking it off the cable. Shifting his aim, he nailed the second in the head and leg, sending it plummeting to the ground. Swinging his aim around again, he tried to get a bead on the third but it was approaching too fast and the cables blocked his shot.  
'Buster! I can't make the shot.' Topspin called, grabbing the cable again and watching the third beast approaching.  
'I got it!' Roadbuster called, releasing his left hand and nailing the third steeljaw in the belly but the shot also severed one of the wider cables forming their unstable bridge. 'Frag! Hit a cable!'

Continuing the shuffle, Leadfoot put his faith in Speedshot and looked up at the ship again, watching for more threats on the platform above.  
'Steeljaws on the platform! They're goin' fer the cables!' Leadfoot warned, helpless to do anything to protect his family.  
'I can't take the shot!' Topspin called, tightening his pincers so he didn't get shaken off.  
'Shot! Ya gotta take it!' Roadbuster insisted, struggling to hang onto the heaving cable.  
'I can't!' Speedshot replied, unable to get a clear shot around Leadfoot. 'All Autobots! We need immediate support! Repeat, Wreckers need immediate support!'  
"We're inbound." Dakota answered, racing under the ship.  
"On scene." Bumblebee acknowledged, appearing on the platform and opening fire on the steeljaws chewing on the cables.  
"Topspin, jump!" Daytona ordered, lining up on the blue Wrecker.  
"Roadbuster, let go!" Tar called, sweeping around and making a run towards Roadbuster.  
'Go! Go! Go!' Speedshot cried, watching the cables giving way all around them.

Nodding sharply, Topspin and Roadbuster released their grip and dropped, only to be caught safely upon the wings of two A-10 Warthog's. Crouching to reduce drag, they engaged their specialised magnets to help them stay on and aimed up towards the platform as the last cable snapped and Bumblebee jumped out to grab the end of it.  
'Lead! Shot!' Topspin cried, snapping around and watching his lovers fall.  
'Kota! Do something!' Roadbuster snapped, pointing to the third Warthog nearby.  
"I can only take one." Dakota warned, racing towards the falling pair.  
'Take Leadfoot.' Speedshot nodded, releasing Leadfoot and watching him fly away as the weight of the cable pulled Speedshot down.  
'Shot! Shot!' Leadfoot hollered, caught in the grip on Dakota's magnets and pulled up into the sky. 'Speedshot!'

Deactivating his magnets, Speedshot managed to grab another cable as it whipped past him and latched on tight, trying not to think about his chances of coming through this without severe structural damage. Looking down, he saw Bumblebee on the very end of the same cable and swore, bracing for one hell of an impact against the building. He could handle his own weight in a collision at these speeds but adding Bee into the equation would make for one hell of a nasty impact with the building.  
'Hold on!' Speedshot roared, trying to protect Lennox from the impact. 'Glass!'

Slamming into the building and getting a fresh new appreciation for the bugs that often decorated his windshield, Speedshot struggled to hold onto the cable but gravity had a stronger grip and was slowly pulling him back down to earth. Making a snap decision, Speedshot kicked off the wall as best he could and released the cable, ignoring the shocked screams from his mates as he shoved his hands through the glass façade and tried to find solid purchase as he slid down towards Bee.

Starting to think that this plan was going to fail, Speedshot couldn't help the crow of delight as he finally caught one of the structural beams holding this particular skyscraper up and came to a sudden stop. Looking up, he saw Bee slide past him and stretched out one foot just in time for Bee to grab it and stop his own surrender to gravity.  
'You okay Bee?' Speedshot called, tightening his grip on the beam. 'Lennox?'  
'Close enough.' Bee replied, smashing another section of glass and looping his arm around a vertical beam.  
'I'm alive, got some cuts and scrapes but I'll live.' Lennox confirmed, peeling off his jacket and shaking out the glass.  
'Slash! Where the fuck are ya?' Speedshot hollered, unable to turn around and look for his rescue. 'Bonfire! Ghost! Windvest! Prowl! Jazz!'  
"Keep ya platin' on Speedshot. We're inbound." Sidewinder replied, totally calm for the moment.  
'Bumblebee! Bumblebee! Friendly! Enemy ships are comin' in hot.' Crosshairs called, bringing in one of the enemy fighters to retrieve Bee from the wall. 'Get on!'  
"Sorry Speedshot, we got beaten to the last fighters. We're headin' to Prime's location now." Jazz sighed, clearly frustrated and trying to hide it.  
'We'll see you there, Jazz.' Speedshot nodded, trying not to think about Leadfoot's absence right now. 'I still need a lift off this building!'

Racing back into the fight after taking Leadfoot to Ratchet despite his arguments, Dakota swept in close to the tower and quite literally sucked him off the wall as he flew past. Performing a tank destroying roll, he released Speedshot and continued over to catch him across his wings. Levelling out again, he returned to formation with Tona and Tar, the trio heading back to Prime's location to deposit the Wreckers back in the fight.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Sticking close to Crosshairs now that Bumblebee was onboard and safe; Sidewinder relished the feeling of wind rushing over his wings again. Though he'd promised to stay close to Crosshairs now, he hadn't been able to resist the look Crosshairs had given him and returned to his aerial form. Tuning his engines to stay in beside Crosshairs, Sidewinder laughed as they danced through the sky together. Admittedly, Sidewinder had been concerned that he would never return to the open skies now that he was bonded to Crosshairs and felt drawn to protect him. He was relieved and happy to have one last chance to say goodbye to the thermals properly.

Constantly retuning his engines and shields, Sidewinder kept level with Crosshairs and watched for enemy fighters coming up behind them. He had so many targets to watch for and although he wouldn't have minded some help, he was grateful his bros were leaving him to guard Crosshairs alone. There was something special about being there to protect his mate from harm.  
'Hold ya knickers. I'm punchin' it!' Crosshairs warned, glancing towards him.  
"Go for it! I'm right beside ya." Sidewinder confirmed, throwing on more speed and staying with Crosshairs as they twisted between the skyscrapers of Chicago. "Keep goin', I'll cover."  
'Ya got it.' Crosshairs nodded, continuing to weave among the buildings as Sidewinder turned over and returned fire.

Dropping one enemy ship out of the sky, Sidewinder rolled over again and shot after Crosshairs, passing dangerously close to buildings as he evaded the enemy guns.  
"We've got three ships on our tails." Sidewinder warned, spinning clear of enemy fire.  
'I'm givin' it the juice.' Crosshairs directed, pushing his ship to maximum and diving down to follow the river. 'Come on Bee, take 'em out!'  
"I've got right flank." Sidewinder called, dropping behind the enemy ships and launching two missiles at the chosen fighter

Keeping his sensors trained on Bee and Crosshairs, Sidewinder chuckled as Bee used his grappling system to pull a small freighter from the river and throw it into the left flanking enemy ship.  
"Nice work Bee." Sidewinder praised, slicing through the falling debris.  
'This one's for you a-hole.' Crosshairs grinned, launching two missiles from beneath his fighter and bringing down a bridge right in the path of the remaining fighter tail.  
"Whoa! Damn it Cross!" Sidewinder yelped, charging through the shower of debris and trying to ignore the pain of fresh scrapes and dents across his wings.  
'Sorry Winder.' Crosshairs replied, regaining altitude quickly.  
"Slag! Three more on us." Sidewinder warned, flipping over and launching two of his own missiles in retaliation. "If ya gonna do somethin' you'd better do it!"

Pushing the engines hard to give them a little bit of a lead over the pursuing ships, Crosshairs abandoned the cockpit and climbed onto the back of his ship as he bodily grabbed Bee and pulled him backwards.  
'Oh, I'm sick of this crap. You fly. I shoot.' Crosshairs directed, crouching on the back of the ship.  
"Here, you could use a gunner." Sidewinder guided, getting in close and rolling over as he opened his cockpit.

Releasing the harness, Lennox dropped from cockpit and landed safely in the rear seat of the stolen fighter, quickly settling in and reaching for the controls right in front of him.  
'Hey! You better let me fire this big assed gun or make this ship go faster!' Lennox called, trying not to think about how weird this was.  
'Listen up. Crash course. Tracer guns. Punch forward to fire. Slide back to reload.' Crosshairs directed, pointing to the control stick Lennox had his hands on.  
'What?' Lennox asked, struggling to follow the yelled instructions.  
'Punch hold slide repeat. Punch hold slide repeat.' Crosshairs demanded, motioning to the control stick again.  
'What are you talking about?' Lennox asked, still not quite grasping the instructions.  
'Good luck.' Crosshairs grinned, rising in his crouch.  
'Where are you going?' Lennox demanded, looking up again.  
'To lay some hate.' Crosshairs replied, lowering his goggles and launching off the fighter.

Flipping over in midair and drawing two of his pistols from the holsters on his back, Crosshairs deployed his parachutes and opened fire on the trailing enemies. Swearing up a storm, Sidewinder snapped left and pulled up, narrowly avoiding a collision with his mate that would have ended badly for them both.  
"A little warning next time, Cross." Sidewinder groused, getting back in position with Bee. "Ya got it now, Lennox?"  
'Say it with me. Punch hold slide repeat.' Lennox requested, still not totally confident with the instructions. 'Punch hold slide repeat.'  
"Ya got it Lennox, now do it!" Sidewinder barked, making sure he was out of the firing line.

Lunging forward in his seat, Lennox shoved the control stick all the way forward and crowed with delight as the massive guns responded and opened fire on command. Continuing to fire on the enemy ships behind them, Lennox barely even noticed that Braidy and Emission were overhead until the rest of the humans were dropped into the seat around him. Coming forward, Cade and Sam settled beside him and worked with him to keep the huge guns firing as Bee took them on a whirlwind tour of the city.  
"Doin' great guys, keep it up." Sidewinder coaxed, thrilled to see the humans adapting to the situation. "Bee, keep the humans safe. I gotta go help Crosshairs."  
"I got it." Bee replied, continuing the merry chase through the city.

Twisting and weaving through the city, Bee went for the low ground and shot into a road tunnel with two enemy ships in hot pursuit. Ducking his head, Bee continued the charge and listened to the rattle of the tail guns as the humans tried to eradicate the threat behind them. Weaving among the cars, Bee smiled as one of the enemy ships dropped off his scanners, the wash of a fireball turning the dull concrete bright orange for a moment. Linking up with the tail guns, he used his advanced sensors to guide the weapons onto the second chasing ship and let the humans destroy it, boosting their confidence with the weapons.

Knowing that they needed to get out of these road tunnels soon, Bee picked a weak spot above and braced for the impact as he gunned the engines and pulled the nose up. He hadn't counted on the impact to tear the small ship apart and send the rear gunner pod tumbling away down one street as he went careening in another direction. Picking his moment, Bee vaulted out of the crashed ship and took off at a run, tracking the now familiar signals of the five humans he was meant to be protecting. 

#~#+^*^+#~#

Regrouping and making sure they were still fully combat ready, the remaining aerial wing swept around the massive ship still hovering over the city and opened fire with everything they had. Coming around towards the aft, they swept up and over, avoiding the smaller ship that Prime had tagged as vital to the mission success.  
"Get moving in there! We can't hold this bitch down for much longer!" Ripper snapped, picking off another steeljaw stalking around the outside of the ship.  
"We're almost ready to separate. We're almost there." Hound returned, sounding a little frazzled.  
"Hurry! He's launching!" Optimus added, voice bringing a certain calming nature to the situation.  
"All over it Chief!" Hound confirmed, gradually calming into his position.  
"Lockdown will be in deep space before he realises I'm gone."  
"Get it done Hound!" Magura barked, twisting clear of an incoming enemy fighter. "We've got bogies inbound again!"  
"I'm a sucky pilot. Let's give it a whirl." Hound warned as the smaller ship finally came loose.  
"Just fly, we'll keep you covered!" Phantom guided, tipping over and charging the enemy ships.

Spreading out and opening space for the larger craft to roll out among them, the aerial wing twisted around to form a protective screen around the stolen ship. With their weapons overheated and most of their hard points now empty, they weren't in a great position to defend the craft but at least they could act as a screen to protect their people.  
"Move out! We've got what we came for!" Blade ordered, dipping his wings to the ground crew.  
"We'll meet you wherever Hound brings that beast down." Ironhide confirmed, transforming and helping to organise the wounded. 'Ground team, keep your scanners peeled for Cosmo's wing.'

Aching and angry, the ground team reorganised and regrouped, leaning on each other as they made sure the team came through mostly intact. Sunstreaker came back with the mangled wing panels, handing them off to Ratchet for repair and eventual reinstallation. Back on his feet, Leadfoot tested out his repaired hip joint before transforming and heading out to meet up with Bee to check that the humans were okay after all the action.  
"How's that feeling Leadfoot?" Ratchet asked, a little distracted by someone else.  
"Better than ever, Ratchet. My thanks." Leadfoot replied, skidding around the corner. "Might be an idea to deploy the youngsters to help with the clean up."  
"Some are already on it and the others are coming in to assist." Mirage chuckled, appearing from down another street. "They are highly effective with city fighting."


	28. Tensions

Leading the charge back to the main force, Leadfoot and Bumblebee vied for position as they swept around the resting ship and across the grass. Turning together, they pulled up among the forgotten trains to disgorge their passengers as the rest of the ground based team pulled up and transformed.  
'Let's give the others the good news. We got a ship now, we're leaving.' Crosshairs called, sitting up on one of the train cars.  
'You don't need to sound so happy about it.' sidewinder grumbled, shuffling his wings as he looked up at his aerial brothers.  
'You humans, after all we have done. You don't know what you've wrought upon yourselves.' Optimus warned, looking down at the small group of humans standing among them.  
'What? What is it now? What are you talking about?' Cade asked, throwing his arms wide. 'I mean, I'm doing stuff outta my league here.'  
'What the hell are you blaming on us now?' Lennox demanded, pointing up at Ironhide.  
'You don't see who's controlling who. Within that manmade prototype I fought, I sensed the presence of Megatron.' Optimus explained, sinking to one knee before them.  
'What, the Decepticon that started the Chicago war?'  
'How the fuck did that happen?' Sam asked, looking around for answers.  
'How do you think KSI built those bots in the first place?' Brains countered, perched on a water tower nearby. 'They had a whole mess of dead Decepticon heads and they were downloading their minds. And I was in charge of autopsy duty. No union, no benefits, no nothing.'  
"They tried to make me do the same but I refused. This is how Joyce reacted." Wheelie added, drawing attention back to the messenger bag Tessa was guarding.  
'They hooked me up to Megatron and that mind wasn't as dead as they thought. He fed 'em the science and specs all so they could build him a brand new body. Then, he infected it with his evil, nasty chromosomes.' Brains continued, voice laced with disgust and anger.

Picking his way through the group to sit beside the humans, Ratchet waited as Tessa carefully laid out all of Wheelie's pieces on a towel she'd gotten from Bee. Folding out his finest tools, he started the delicate task of putting Wheelie back together as he listened to the tragic tale around them.  
'KSI mighta named the body a snappy name like Galvatron but that's just Megatron reincarnated.'  
'You knew this and you didn't warn them?' Tessa asked, turning her gaze towards Brains again.  
'Little girl, you can go to a pretty dark place when you on death row.' Brains replied, making his way along one of the forgotten trains. 'He's been playing KSI all this time. All so that he could manipulate 'em into going after the Seed.'  
'Wait, the Seed?' Shane asked, also watching Brains as he climbed down to ground level.  
'Those nasty soldiers that were chasing us. I saw them board the ship and they took something that they called the Seed.' Tessa explained, holding together a couple of wires for Ratchet.  
'A Seed? Here on earth? Oh frag, this just got a lot worse.' Ironhide groaned, sinking to one knee in the grass.  
'Listen, sixty million years ago, give or take an eon…' Hound started, curling one arm around Mirage's back as he spoke.  
'Thousands of planets were cyberformed with seeds. They turned your organic life into our elemental metals. Our creators destroyed your world to make us.' Optimus added, glancing towards Blade and Beast.  
'And that's what Galvatron wants to happen again. He wants to detonate that seed in the biggest city and kill millions. He's gonna show the world baby I'm back.' Brains added, making his way through the rows of flowers growing between the trains.  
'The blast wave will incinerate that city into molten metal. He'll have enough to build a massive army and annihilate your species forever.' Topspin warned, cradling Frenzy to his chest tenderly.  
'You dumb greedy bastards just bought extinction to yourself. Not my problem though. I'm free at last. Whole thing worked out good for me.' Brains chuckled, sniffing at a flower as he headed for Ghost's foot. 'I'm walking.'  
'We gotta get the Seed before Galvatron.' Cade insisted, absolutely refusing to give up just yet.  
'How the hell are we meant to do that?' Lennox asked, turning to Cade. 'Do you have any idea where it is now?'  
'We'll find it, Lennox. But there are other issues to consider as well.' Ironhide rumbled, welcoming the orphaned twins into his arms. 'KSI and Mr Joyce must be punished for their crimes. There is no avoiding that issue.'  
'And they will pay dearly, Ironhide.' Wheeljack agreed, watching Perceptor move among the group. 'They have already lost most of their funding.'  
'Until we know for certain where the rest of those manmade prototypes are, we must remain patient. Rest while you can, we cannot be certain when or where the next battle will rage.' Optimus directed, shoulders drooping a little. 'Scouts, keep your audios tuned for any news.'  
'Security team, spread out and stay alert. I don't want any surprises.' Falcon called, looking down before moving his feet. 'Brains, will you please stay somewhere safe? We've already down one technical genius, we can't lose you too.'  
'Someone wanna help me get over to Ratchet then?' Brains requested, perched safely on Ghost's shoulder for now.  
'I gotcha little bro.' Modo nodded, forming a bridge so Brains could get across and settle on Ratchet's knee.  
'Can ya save him, doc?' he asked, looking up at Ratchet nervously.  
'I'll do my best, Brains. He may never be the same but we'll see.' Ratchet nodded, lifting one hand to lightly brush a fingertip against Brains' back. 'I won't give up on him.'

Finding a cosy spot near where Ratchet was working, Ironhide leaned back against the decrepit old train car then settled Smokey and Wrench in his lap. Cradling them close, battle scarred fingers smoothing over their backs slowly, he dropped his helm to quietly chirr in their audios as he opened his EM field to them. Gradually they opened up in return, trilling low in reply as their fields meshed together.  
'Uhh, what's the go with Ironhide and the youngsters?' Lennox asked, peeling off his filthy jacket and shaking it out.  
'He's trying to establish a family bond with Smokey and Wrench.' Ratchet replied, not looking up from his delicate work. 'They're too young to be on their own.'  
'So there really is no hope of bringing those two back?' Sam asked, making the best of the chance to rest.  
'No, we've lost them for good. Every other loss, I've had something to work from. But with those two, we've go nothing left.' Ratchet sighed, soldering another couple of connections before looking up. 'The best we can do is give the girls a new family and hope for the best.'  
'There's some unused carriages in that shed over there. You five might as well take the chance to rest in reasonable comfort.' Decal offered, approaching Ratchet slowly. 'Hey Ratchet, I could use a patch job. Got a hole in my wing during that brawl.'  
'Where are the other medics?' Ratchet asked, full focus back on little Wheelie.  
'Revs is working on Cosmo's wings. Shift wanted to help but got assigned to patch up Vinnie after his heroics. Shard is tending to Steve, Terry and their girls.' Decal briefed, taking a knee beside Ratchet.  
'I can wait, Ratchet. This laptop isn't great but it's good enough for now.' Wheelie offered, drawing a soft sigh from the medic.  
'Very well. Very well but if you have any troubles…' Ratchet started, carefully packing the repaired parts back into the bag.  
'I'll get Brains to pass you a message.' Wheelie agreed, resigned to wait for a better time.  
'I'll keep them both safe, Ratchet.' Tessa promised, shouldering the bag and reaching for Brains.  
'And Leadfoot's made it clear that he'll watch over you.' Ratchet chuckled, turning to get a look at Decal's wing. 'Pit, you really made a mess of this.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Relaxing on one of the train cars, idly flipping through the cast communication network he was permanently plugged into, Blaster kept one audio on his kids but most of his attention was trying to track down Joshua Joyce and that damned seed. Earth was such a beautiful planet, he really didn't want to see part of it turned into a mechanical wasteland.  
'Any news yet?' Drift asked, settling on another car in the train.  
'About the seed? No. I do however have enough juicy news to blackmail most of Earth's governments.' Blaster chuckled, sitting up and looking around slowly.  
'Best you do not mention that to Prime.' Drift suggested, also watching the relaxing team.  
'Wasn't planning on it.' Blaster nodded, perking up a little. 'Ohh, here we go. You getting this?'  
'We've intercepted encrypted communications. Joshua Joyce is headed to his factory in Guangzhou China.' Drift confirmed, drawing attention from all around.  
'China? Oh boy, this is gonna be tight.' Braid grumbled, wings twitching as he checked over his personal firearms. 'Drifter, did you get your turbines checked?'  
'Yes dad.' Drifter replied, dropping down beside his father and fluttering his wings. 'Revs gave me an all clear.'  
'Good, we're going to need you in China. You and your brother are small enough to get between the buildings and support our human allies up close.' Christine smiled, joining her husband with Rebel on her hip.  
'You really mean that mom?' Tracer beamed, running over to hug his twin brother. 'We can get in on the front lines at last?'  
'That means you have to listen to which ever adult is near you. Human or Autobot, understood?' Braid nodded, super proud of his young sons.  
'Understood, dad.' they both grinned, excited for their first taste of real combat up close and right in the danger zone.  
'Are you certain that is wise?' Drift asked, concerned for the two youngsters. 'They are still so young and precious.'  
'They'll have to learn eventually, Drift. Besides, if our daughters can fight, it's only fair our sons see front line action as well.' Christine replied, lightly brushing her fingers against the fresh scar on Rebel's side. 'They may be young but most have a long history of combat action.'

Readying weapons and talking tactics quietly so they didn't interfere with the phone call Cade was making, the team made absolutely certain that they were as ready as they could possibly be for such a vital mission. Swapping looks and quietly talking about battles that they had already survived, they prepared for another round of hurt and tried desperately not to think about those who might not make it back to the family when it was all said and done. Ironhide and Jazz were in no hurry to repeat their previous death experiences and their mates certainly didn't need that sort of stress right now.

Ratchet moved through the group slowly, making sure their heavy hitters were combat ready and capable of bringing the pain. He also paid special attention to Mirage and Prowl, checking that their ongoing pregnancies weren't going to be an issue. If anything, their raging carrier programming would make them even more lethal on the battlefield.

On edge, just waiting for the order to move out and prepare for war, the team kept looking towards Optimus and Blade to lead them around the world to bring the pain to Galvatron and his minions.  
'How fast can that thing get us half way around the world?' Cade asked, rejoining the main group.  
'Very. It's a space ship.' Drift replied, testing the edge on one sword.  
'Slag, we got company! Police convoy coming in, lights and sirens. Birds in the air too!' Phantom called, flaring out his rotors in readiness as Cade went to find Tessa.  
'If we're travelling, now's the time.' Hound warned, backing out of the trees and heading for the ship and Mirage.  
'All I want is to have our life back. It's your call. Whatever you want.' Cade offered, watching Tessa watch the road. 'Are we safer on our own or are we safer with them?'  
'The choice is yours Tessa.' Beast added, crouching near the small family.

Hustling the combined team up the ramp and warning the younglings to stay away from any occupied cages or anything else they didn't recognise, Blade really had to focus to keep his frustrations down, even though he could kind of understand Optimus' point of view.  
'Move! We're retrieving the seed but then we're done defending the humans.' Optimus called, motioning for the slackers to hurry.  
'What? Done? What do you mean you're done?' Dade demanded, looking up at Optimus in frustration.  
'Means finished, see ya, goodbye.' Crosshairs replied, following the humans up the ramp.  
'We can debate it later, get onboard.' Blade barked, turning his back on Optimus. 'Falcon! Move your fat ass!'  
'I'm moving.' Falcon confirmed, hustling up the ramp last of all. 'Let's get outta here!'

At least this time, with Drift at the controls and Bumblebee assisting, the flight was much smoother. On the downside, that gave everyone a chance to start a debate about leaving Earth open to future attacks or invasions. For the sake of human ears, they at least tried to keep their voices down and stayed in the familiar Cybertronian dialects to avoid any external interruptions.  
'What the hell is going on?' Shane asked, pressed against the wall out of the way.  
'They're arguing about what dad said.' Beast shrugged, taking a seat beside the humans. 'A lot of us don't want to leave. Most of us were created here on Earth, it's our home as much as yours.'  
'Do you think he'll change his mind?' Tessa asked, looking down at Brains for a moment.  
'I hope he does. I don't want to leave Earth.' Beast shrugged, looking up at the still arguing bots all around them. 'I think dad might get outvoted anyway, most of the aerial wing want to stay put.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

By the time they got near Guangzhou most of the arguments had fizzled out and the team were back to making final preparations for the battle to come. Ammunition was shared around, thanks to the Wreckers and their inbuilt manufacturing capabilities. Backup weapons were checked and sharpened, though most hoped they wouldn't have to revert to swords in the middle of a busy city. There was a clear distrust though, most of the team took their concerns and questions to Blade instead of Optimus.

Perched in a reasonably comfortable spot, his stolen shot-dart across his lap, Cade watched out for Optimus and tried to make sense of what had been said. Wheeljack had been kind enough to explain the history of Autobots on earth to him, though he had admitted that he'd missed the first two battles and had almost died in the third. Jazz, Speedshot and even Ironhide were able to fill in some of the gaps as well, giving Cade a fairly well rounded history of their kind.  
'When you said you were done fighting for humans, you didn't mean that did you?' He asked, watching Optimus closely.  
'How many more of my kind must be sacrificed to atone for your mistakes?" Optimus countered, getting to his feet and turning away.  
'Well what do you think being human means? That's what we do. We make mistakes. And sometimes out of those mistakes come the most amazing things.' Cade replied, attention drawn to Speedshot coming up behind Optimus. 'When I fixed you, it was for a reward. That was it. That was why. For money. And that was me making a mistake. Without it, you wouldn't be here.'  
'No one is perfect, Prime. We all make mistakes at some point or another. That's part of life.' Speedshot offered, flaring out his armour. 'Don't let Emily's sacrifice be in vain.'  
'Even if you've got no faith in us, I'm asking you to do what I do. I'm asking you to look at all the junk and see the treasure. You gotta have faith Prime.' Cade added, not totally sure what Speedshot meant but it wasn't important right now. 'In what we can be.'  
'Even you have made mistakes, Optimus. There's no one else to blame for the fractures in the ranks.' Speedshot warned, turning and walking away. 'You can leave if you want, but the Wreckers are staying put.'

Curled up together in a quiet little alcove, Crosshairs and Sidewinder quietly discussed what they wanted after the battle was over. Crosshairs wanted to leave the organic planet and find a place that didn't leave him feeling like his plating was crawling. Sidewinder had no interest in leaving. He'd already lost two homeworlds throughout his life and didn't really want to abandon a third. Smash didn't really want to leave either, she considered earth to be where she was born and wanted to stay for as long as possible.

Watching over his expanded family and sending reassurances across the bond to Nimrah, Ironhide caught Prime's gaze and tightened his hold on his family. He didn't need to make any grand statements about his intentions, his dark blue paint and heavy stare said more than words ever could. Chirring with the twins, Ratchet looked up and nodded faintly in Optimus' direction. They were in agreement on this one and would stay with the humans regardless of his orders.  
'Shake it off guys. We're almost in position.' Bee called, breaking through the tension filling the ship.  
'Aerial wing, we'll need you on perimeter guard. Not sure you'll have a lot of space to manoeuvre through the streets.' Blade briefed, wings twitching with excitement. 'Tracer and Drifter, you stay close with the humans and offer whatever support you can. If possible, get the seed and bring it to one of the adults to deal with.'  
'We'll make you proud Blade.' Tracer nodded, standing tall with his twin.  
'I want the rest of the youngsters on street duty. Protect the civilians and lend assistance with the fight whenever you can safely. Do not take stupid risks with your lives, you are the future of our people.' Blade continued, sweeping Beast up and giving her a hug. 'We'll be around for backup but in such tight confines, we might not be able to get in and help.'  
'We can do it Blade. You can rely on us.' Armageddon replied, resting one hand on Combat's shoulder lightly.  
'Can we squish Joyce if we spot him?' Smokey asked, clinging to Ratchet's hand for comfort.  
'Not right away, Smokey. We might need him before the battle is over.' Blade chuckled, relieved to see she was perking up a little more. 'That said, you two are excused from openly assisting Mr Joyce in any way.'  
'I can live with that.' Wrench agreed, looking up at Ironhide again. 'We'll be okay papa.'  
'I know you will, sweet.' Ironhide nodded, scooping her up for a cuddle. 'You can do whatever you set your mind to.'


	29. China Throwdown

Flooding into the city at street level, the youngsters spread out and scanned every street and alleyway for Joyce and the seed. Overhead, Tracer and Drifter weaved among the towering buildings, transmitting their data down to their cousins to help them find their way through the cityscape. Itching for a fight but also aware that they weren't really a match for Galvatron and his minions, they stayed close enough to be able to back each other up if they encountered a major threat.

For now they relied on their holoforms to keep their identities concealed, distracting the locals with questions all while paying close attention to any potential threats. Tracking locations and recalling earlier threats, they took action against come of the CIA and Cemetery Wind goons that were also in the city, eliminating their enemies quietly in the dark corners of the city. It went against Prime's order not to harm humans but in these cases, the youngsters were all pretty certain Optimus would agree that they needed to be removed from the situation.

Slipping into discrete hiding places and making sure their weapons were charged and ready, they waited for the rest of the team to arrive on scene. Masking their signals, they waited and watched, updating their extended family on the locations of their targets and keeping a sharp watch for Joyce or the bomb.  
"Savoy is in the city, he's hunting for the seed." Road Hammer briefed, watching the Cemetery Wind leader carefully.  
"Joyce is on the tagged rooftop. Scans indicate he'd got the seed with him." Tracer warned, lighting up a towering building in the middle of the chaotic city.  
"I've got CIA bogies over this way." Lacer added, subtly tagging four goons in the crowds.  
"Whoa, picking up a lot of new Decepticon signals in my area." Flash Point yelped, adding more signals to the vast sensor map the Autobots were using.  
"There's more over this side." Stellar added, filling in another section of the map.  
"Keep it up girls, you're doing great." Black praised, adding a few more details. "You'll get some extra support real soon."

High overhead, hovering behind a mountain just outside the target city, Drift held the ship steady as the aerial wing launched from every available surface and transformed to sweep around and start circling the city. For now they just circled the city and scanned for threats, tallying up numbers and working out their best routes to get into position to bring down the Decepticons again. Their first concern was protecting civilians and trying to avoid too much collateral damage though. There would be some, it was unavoidable really but at least this time they would try and keep it to a minimum and do their best to lure their enemies away from the most populous areas.  
"Shit! I just got made! Linx yelped, bursting from her hiding spot with a bright green Stinger on her tail. "I need some support over here!"  
"I gotcha sweetie." Fog replied, rolling onto his port wing and racing between the towers. "I see ya, just a little further."

It looked spectacular, the sleek little roadster motorbike racing down the street with the bigger sports car behind as a two toned grey F-111 rocketed towards them sideways. Snapping left, the motorbike screamed down a side alley just as the sports car exploded in a fireball and the low flying jet turned and shot skyward.  
"You okay, Linx?" Fog asked, rolling over and circling his kill zone.  
"I'm good. Just a little scratched paint." Linx confirmed, appearing from the alleyway again. "Is it dead, Fog?"  
"Yeah, it's dead. Stay away from it though, just in case." Fog suggested.  
"High alert! We're heading in to collect Joyce and the Seed." Optimus warned from above.

Climbing out through side hatches and taking their positions in readiness to defend the ship, the Wreckers anchored their positions against the ship and took aim down towards the threat. Scanning constantly for the biggest threats, they also kept Drift updated on where everything was so he didn't accidentally ram the ship into anything.  
'Joshua!'  
'Hey baldie!'  
'Hey, it's me! Hey!'  
'Bring it over! Now! Let's go!'  
"Hold it steady Drift. Wind from the south west." Topspin guided, lifting his aim a little.  
'Hurry up! Run! Hurry! C'mon!'  
'Go! Forward.'  
'Come on, give it to me!'  
'Looks like we might have company.' Hound added, taking his place on the rear ramp.  
'Confirmed, coming in from my side.' Roadbuster confirmed, levelling his rifle.  
'Slag! Brace for impact!' Leadfoot roared, returning fire towards the enemy on the ground but it was already too late.  
'We're hit! We're hit!'

Three missiles slammed into the tail end of the ship, dislodging the Wreckers from their perches as well as sending Bee, Hound and the human team tumbling from the aft ramp. Attempting to make a rescue at the last moment, Ironhide narrowly missed Hound's trailing weaponry and overbalanced, tumbling backwards over the edge.  
"We need to reduce weight!" Prowl called, appearing at the damaged rear doors.  
"Cannonball!" Sunstreaker bellowed, launching out a side door with Sideswipe right behind him.  
"Let's bring the pain!" Jazz crowed, diving off the ramp and plummeting towards the ground.  
"I've got this!" Blaster promised, taking flight as the wounded ship turned and headed away from the city, scraping over the mountains as it went.

Bounding up and checking each other over quickly, the split team took a quick stock of their situation, fanning out and protecting the humans among them as they tallied up enemy threats around them. Leading the charge, Ironhide flared out his infamous cannons and growled, picking his way across the rooftops with a delicacy most had never seen from him.  
'I count ten below!' Hound warned, leaning over the edge.  
'I've got another five on this side.' Jazz added, cocking his preferred rifle.  
'I thought you said you had one prototype get infected.' Cade remarked, pinning Joyce with a hard look.  
'Now he's got operational control of my other 50.' Joyce replied, voice flat and almost dead.  
"Heads up, enemy count confirmed at 51! Repeat: Enemy count at 51!" Ironhide broadcast, putting the pieces together in his processors.  
'Come on.' Cade sighed, turning and grabbing one end of the seed bag.  
"Make that 50. Already fragged one." Fog corrected, zipping over their heads. "We'll try to keep 'em distracted."  
'Let's at least try to minimise the collateral this time.' Ironhide nodded, looking around at his motley team. 'Blaster, see if you can broadcast some kind of message to reassure the people and get them to leave the city.'  
'I'll do my best.' Blaster shrugged, backing up a step and plugging back into the networks.  
'We'll keep Blaster safe. You get that seed out of the city.' Sunstreaker directed, skating back to Blaster's side.  
'No heroics this time Ironhide.' Sideswipe teased, flicking his blades out in readiness.  
'I'll leave that to the younger models.' Ironhide promised, briefly checking there were no humans underfoot before leading the team further along the buildings.  
'I may have started the apocalypse but you brought your family. And that's, you know, terrible parenting.' Joyce remarked, aiming the comment at Cade's back.  
'Well I'm about one second from knocking you out, taking the bomb and just leaving you here.' Cade replied, keeping the human team moving forward.  
'And how many families have you risked with this grand plan of yours? The latest deaths in Chicago are all your fault. And now this fiasco, all the lives lost here today will be on your hands.' Lennox growled, glaring at Joyce angrily. 'That's not even thinking about the two young girls you orphaned in your hunt for materials.'  
'Easy William. I need you focused on the mission, not simmering with anger at his stupidity.' Ironhide rumbled, looking back at the humans.  
'If he makes another snide comment, can we toss him off the building?' Sam asked, checking his borrowed rifle quickly.  
'No, I promised that Smokey and Wrench could have at him after this was over. He killed their parents; it's only fair they get their revenge.' Ironhide corrected, coming to a stop at the end of the building.  
'Optimus! Autobots! You alive?' Hound called, keeping a sharp watch as he tried to reconnect with the rest of the team. 'C'mon bitch!'  
'Come on!' Cade yelled, almost dragging Joyce along.  
'Just like old times.' Sam remarked, covering their rear and hoping for a solid plan.  
'Lennox, take the humans and head for lower ground. You've got a comm, contact the younglings and make a plan!' Ironhide ordered, trading rounds with a couple of Decepticons on the next rooftop.  
'I'm working on it!' Brains yelled, huddled in the messenger bag with Wheelie. 'Spook and Low Rider are heading for the intercept. But we gotta get down a few levels to meet them.'  
'What about Drifter or Tracer? They could airlift us out.' Shane suggested, ducking as another missile landed danger close.  
'Nah, they're too small. At best they could airlift the seed.' Brains corrected, peeking out of the bag nervously. 'Aw hell, this is a nightmare.'  
'Jus' hang on tight Brains. We'll get through this.' Topspin offered, rolling past the running humans and popping up to return fire on another Decepticon.

Moving as quickly as they dared without exposing the humans, the ragtag team kept up the heavy fire against any who came after them, falling into an ancient rhythm of fire and reload to keep the team fully covered. Opening fire again and knocking a pink stinger model off the next rooftop, Bee stepped back and turned as Jazz advanced to lay down covering fire.  
'Evac! Evac! We're getting flanked!' Hound warned, gattling gun spinning up in his hands.  
'We got company below.' Ironhide added, opening fire with both massive cannons.

Running along the very edge of the roof, Speedshot followed Hound across the gap and laughed softly as the bigger warrior got himself stuck ass first in someone's apartment.  
'Oomp…my fat ass is stuck.' Hound groaned, feet kicking for a moment.  
'I gotcha.' Roadbuster guided, landing and putting one foot in Hound's back to lever him out.  
'Bee! Take the shot! Jazz, cover him!' Ironhide called, launching over a gap and rolling to get a new position.

Kicking off in almost matching somersaults over the street below, Bee and Jazz opened fire in tandem, taking out three enemy units in one stunning explosion. Two went down for sure but the third still had some fight in it, launching three missiles up towards the team just as Ironhide leaned over to locate his next target. The first two shots missed but the third caught him right in the chest, knocking the old warrior aft over helm.  
'Ironhide!' Topspin cried, racing after him just as he tumbled right off the rooftop. 'Ironhide!'  
'I'm still alive.' Ironhide called, dangling from one hand halfway down the building. 'Focus on the mission, I'll be fine.'

Trusting in his mates to watch his back, Leadfoot dropped to one knee and opened fire, making sure to shield the humans from the falling casings as he nailed three of the enemy agents with near perfect headshots.  
'Behind you!' Tessa cried, ducking out of the way and covering her head.  
'145!' Brains directed, one hand gripping Tessa's shirt.  
'Got him.' Leadfoot nodded, sidearm firing blindly over his shoulder to score a direct hit to the centre mass and knock the latest asshole off the rooftop. 'Now get outta here you lot. We'll hold the line here.'  
'Into the elevator! Get it! Come on!' Cade directed, hustling the group inside and tucking the seed off to the side.

Growling deep at the first human gunshot aimed towards them, Leadfoot twisted and physically blocked the elevator doors behind his bulk and let the tiny rounds ping off his thick plating. Adjusting his fire rate, he calmly returned fire, half expecting Savoy to at least duck for cover.  
'Close the door! Close the door!'  
'It won't go! It's not closing!'  
'There's too much weight. Get back down to Bumblebee and the others.'  
'Dad, no!'  
'I'll cover him, Tessa' Lennox promised, bursting out and lifting his rifle.  
'Get the seed to safety, we'll catch up.' Sam added, following the other men out of the elevator.  
'Hey! You want me!' Cade challenged, making himself a target for Savoy.  
'We'll deal with Savoy, you focus on getting us an escape route out of the city.' Lennox directed, throwing his command voice towards Leadfoot.  
'We're on it.' Leadfoot nodded, waiting for the elevator doors to close before charging towards the rest of his team.

Sinking back down into the bag and wrapping one arm over the silent laptop containing his best friend, Brains did his best to keep up with the constant stream of reports coming in from all sides. Tuning out the calls from the larger Autobots and the aerial wing, he focused on the younglings as he tried to find a solution out of this disaster zone.  
"Brains, get the humans out of the elevator. That CIA bastard is waiting on the ground floor. We'll meet you on level seven." Low Rider cut in, her voice calm and controlled.  
'Level seven, copy that.' Brains confirmed, peeking out of the bag. 'We left Cade, Sam and Will on the rooftop.'  
"Understood, we'll keep watch for them." Drifter replied, confident without sounding cocky.  
'He's gonna be okay.' Shane soothed, totally focused on Tessa.  
'Tracer and Drifter are going to watch out for the others. If any of them get into trouble, the twins will keep them safe.' Brains added, perking up a little more. 'We're meeting our support team on level seven.'  
'Why not the ground floor?' Joyce asked, turning to stare down at him.  
'CIA is covering the ground floor. Probably gonna shoot anyone still in here when it reaches the bottom.' Brains explained, returning the hard glare. 'Not that I'd mind losing your presence. Damned monster you are.'  
"He'll get his comeuppance, buddy." Wheelie soothed, drawing Brains away from the conflict.

Bursting from the elevator on the seventh floor, Brains perked up a little more as the two young bikers came racing towards them, scattering the last few people that were in the area. Without really thinking about it, Joyce shouldered the seed and settled on Spook as Shane and Tessa mounted Low Rider for the next phase of their escape. Engines roaring in tandem, they shot along the narrow corridor in a blur, most people smart enough to stay the hell out of the way at the sight of the strange little group racing along.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Tag-teaming on Savoy, Lennox and Sam held back a little and watched the way Cade handled the professional asshole. At the very least, they'd managed to disarm Savoy, lessening the risk of collateral damage during what had to be the most ridiculous chase Lennox had ever been involved with.  
'This is such a bad idea.' Sam muttered, jumping across to another balcony.  
'At least we've got the guns this time.' Lennox nodded, dropping down to the next floor. 'Be nice if we had a little support though.'  
'We'll get some, trust them.' Sam countered, lifting his rifle and loosing a burst towards Savoy.  
'Before or after Cade goes splat?' Lennox questioned, finding it quite a challenge to get a shot at Savoy for all the obstacles around them.

Trying to keep up as Cade fell down several floors with Savoy right behind him, Lennox growled and looked around for another option. This was suicide, there was no way through to help the trapped inventor. All they could do was hold their position and offer ranged support until Cade either eliminated Savoy or fell off the building.  
'I'm coming for you!'  
'Shit, now we're really in trouble.' Sam groaned, trying to peer through the filthy windows to see where Cade had gone.  
'We need support, now!' Lennox yelled, looking around for anyone who could help them.  
'Up here Colonel.' Sideswipe called, reaching down to the two trapped humans. 'Where are the other humans?'  
'Cade's in that apartment there, fighting Savoy. The rest are with Spook and Low Rider, heading for a rendezvous with the rest of the team.' Lennox briefed, looking up at the gleaming silver mech above them.  
'Hang tight, Warrior, Dueller and Killer are inbound. They'll get you out.' Sunstreaker directed, leaning over the edge.  
'Can you at least tell us what's going on over there?' Sam asked, pointing towards the apartment where they thought Cade was currently stuck.  
'Cade and Savoy are brawling in the apartment. I count two civilians in there with them.' Sideswipe briefed, focused on the apartment. 'Not sure who's going to win it.'

Moments later the windows shattered and out came James Savoy backwards, screaming his head off as he plummeted towards the street far below. Then Cade appeared, bloodied and filthy but otherwise unharmed.  
'Cade, head back inside. Warrior will meet you on the corridor and get you down to the others.' Blaster directed, crouching on the rooftop over Cade's head. 'Killer and Dueller are aiming to collect Lennox and Sam.'  
'On it!' Lennox confirmed, using his borrowed rifle to shatter the nearest window.

Bursting out of the apartment he'd so rudely crashed into, Cade barely had time to consider how messed up the situation really was before a brown and grey speedster pulled up beside him and revved her engine. Mounting up and grabbing hold, he tucked close as the zippy bike shot down the corridor and skidded into the nearest elevator. Slapping the controls for the elevator, Cade sagged over the handlebars with a low groan.  
'Is Tessa okay?' he asked, patting the warm panels under him.  
'She is safe for the moment, Cade.' Warrior replied, turning carefully in the tight confines.  
'That's all I need to know.' Cade smiled, sitting up again. 'Thanks for the lift.'  
'Happy to help.' Warrior laughed, gunning it out of the elevator again.

Laying a fresh streak of rubber behind her, Dueller blazed around the corner behind Killer with Lennox sitting firm on her back. Together they pulled level with Warrior and Cade just as another marker light flashed up on their comms.  
'Darcy!'  
'Joshua!'  
'Sam, grab her.' Killer ordered, pulling level with the blonde woman.  
'Get on, we're all in this together.' Sam directed, hauling the woman up behind him.  
'We've got three more coming in from that way.' Shane called, darting for cover.  
'Bee, where's Tessa?' Cade asked, scrambling off Warrior's back.  
'Dad!'  
'Ironhide! Sunny! Sides! Blaster! Where the pit is you guys?' Speedshot demanded, levelling his rotating cannons down the street.  
'We've got a real dilemma here. Okay. I created incredible robots. It's all designed to kick that fat transformers ass. So really, this is a no win situation.' Joshua explained, mostly focused on Cade as he insulted Hound. 'It's over.'  
'That was mean.' Hound warned, flicking his cygar into Joshua's back.  
'Hey! I'm sorry if you can't handle the cold hearted truth!' Joshua yelled, turning back to Hound.  
'That's enough!' Speedshot snapped, dropping to his wheels and casting out his Emily holoform.

Everyone turned to watch as the bloodied and filthy woman moved among them. It looked like she'd been running with them the whole time; her black combat gear ripped and bloodied, hair loose and a pistol clutched in her left hand. Stopping in front of Joshua, she swiped her hair out of her face and snarled as she lifted her pistol.  
'The cold hearted truth is that you are a murderer and a butcher. Now we're here trying to save innocent lives from the monsters you created! Look around you, asshole. All this destruction, all these lives ruined because you thought you could play god. You might think you're untouchable but make no mistake, we will make certain you pay for all of the lives you ruined with your actions.' She promised, reeling back and slapping the arrogant bastard as hard as was humanly possible. 'I hope you die in agony, you monster.'  
'Optimus, what are our orders with these humans? Can I squish the bald guy?' Hound requested, accepting a fresh round from Topspin.  
"No, his life has been promised to Smokey and Wrench." Blade replied, somewhere close by judging from the strength of the signal.  
'Aww, fine. I'll keep him alive for them.' Hound agreed, looking down at the humans. 'I'd rather just squish him though.'  
'It's the least he deserves for what he did.' Brains called, climbing up to sit on Tessa's shoulder.  
'And he will pay for all of his crimes. Have faith, my friends. Joshua Joyce and KSI will pay for all they have done wrong. For now, focus on the fight at hand. There is still much to be done to save this city from this new threat. Fight well, my brothers and take comfort in knowing that I am with you.' Emily continued, looking up at the gathered Autobots. 'Bring peace back to this beautiful world.'

Turning again and meeting Cade's gaze for a moment, the holoform simply faded into nothing again as Speedshot regained his feet and turned away from the humans. Weapons unfurling again, he took his place among his family and started discussing the next phase of their attack plan. Heads together, they kept checking for the locations of the rest of the ground team as they plotted and planned.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Looking around at the team left with Optimus in the mountains, Ratchet sighed softly as he flipped his tools out and did what he could to keep the team operational. Most of their heavy hitters were in the city, he could only hope that they were able to hold out until Prime could reunite the team for the final push.  
'They're in trouble.' Optimus muttered, looking around at his gathered team.  
'This isn't our fight. I'm done being an underdog. Underdogs suck. I say they get what they deserve!' Crosshairs insisted, digging his heels in despite everything.  
'What's the play, Prime?' Mirage asked, one hand resting protectively over his chest. 'I cannot leave Hound back there.'  
'It's time for reinforcements.' Optimus decided, heading back into the wreckage of the ship.  
'Reinforcements? Now what in the pit is he up to?' Hot Rod question, sinking down to rest his aching cables.  
'Sometimes it's best not to ask.' Ratchet shrugged, finishing his patch job on Throttle's primary cannon. 'We just have to trust him to make the right choice.'  
'He needs to make that choice soon. I must get back to Jazz quickly.' Prowl demanded, armour flaring out as his agitation grew.  
'Easy now Prowl. Don't make me give the order to pull you off.' Ratchet soothed, reaching out to the irritated mech. 'we'll get you reunited before the sparkling arrives.'  
'We're going to name him Hunter.' Prowl explained, trying to calm his raging protocols. 'I just…'  
'I know, I've been there Prowl.' Ratchet nodded, sending a calming frequency through his plating.

With nothing else to do while they were waiting for Optimus to make his move, the team enjoyed the lush greenery around them and tried not to worry too much about their friends down in the city below. Some of their strongest warriors were down there, along with their aerial wing and the youngsters were patrolling the streets. That didn't really make the mountain team feel any better though. They all wanted to be down there, causing havoc for the Decepticons and protecting the humans from the worst of the danger.  
'Does anyone else feel that? There's a weird charge in the air.' Modo queried, armour flaring as he backed away from the ship.  
'I have a bad feeling about this.' Wheeljack warned, backing away from the crashed ship.  
'Prime, what the pit have you done?' Ratchet called, also picking up on the change.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Feeling something prickle among his long dormant protocols, Ironhide really didn't have the time to dedicate to figuring out what it all meant. He needed to stay focused and control his ragtag team to bring down the Decepticons. He'd already redeployed the aerial wing to help escort civilians out of danger and to physically protect as much of the city as possible. He'd also sent the younglings around to help bring people to safety and defend the choke points he'd already designated on their shared terrain map.

Leading the team to a slightly less densely populated area and hoping that the youngsters had done enough to give them space to fight, he also made sure their small human team was safe, tucking in between Hound's bulk and Topspin's firepower.  
'Come on.' Cade encouraged, mostly focused on keeping his family going. 'Let's go, come on.'  
'Bee, go!' Sam directed, waving the young scout forward. 'Jazz, Blaster, stay with him.'  
'Wreckers, cover the rear.' Lennox added, keeping his shot-dart aimed away from any civilians.  
'Incoming!' Sideswipe warned, flaring out his personal shield to protect the nearest humans.  
'Getting real tired of these bastards.' Sunstreaker growled, catching a bouncing car and dropping it back to the ground.  
'Let's get this done.' Ironhide directed, skidding into the open square and getting to his feet.  
'Come on, we gotta move! Let's go! Move!' Cade yelled, leading the human team towards what little cover was available.  
'Spread out! Full coverage!' Ironhide ordered, secondary shield briefly flaring around him.

Spreading out and bringing their weapons to bear, the team fell straight back into the rhythms of battle, picking their targets and defending each other when necessary. Appearing from a side street, Eject, Rewind and Darlin' slipped into the gathering and starting ushering the humans towards safety.  
'Stay behind me, I'm covering ya. If I stop covering ya, it means I'm dead. But that ain't gonna happen.' Hound briefed, narrowly avoiding a missile and turning to take out another threat.  
'Lennox, keep moving!' Ironhide barked, shooting low and long to take out threats before they became major problems.  
'Don't look back, lil' miss. We got this.' Leadfoot added, once again putting the humans behind his bulk.  
'I'm a wicked warrior robot!' Hound crowed, switching weapons and advancing right into a missile from behind. 'Damn!'  
'Close the gaps!' Ironhide snapped, turning to take down the latest problem.  
'Come on, we gotta move now!' Lennox and Cade decided, working together to move their group out of direct fire.

Watching Hound advance alone, Roadbuster glanced around at his family before breaking formation and heading after the bigger technical specialist. Trusting the others to watch his back, he matched Hound's battle rhythm and opened fire in a hail of rockets. Ducking under Hound's firing line, he dropped another Decepticon with a precision shot to the head and turned, sending one of his remaining missiles back towards the others to support Jazz.

Spotting the only real cover they had left, Lennox herded the civilians towards the building and turned to take up a defensive position in the door. It wasn't the best spot to be, the walls were mostly glass but it was better than being out among all those giant mechanical feet.  
'Oh, this is the perfect place to hide. A big glass box. Nobody will ever find us here!' Joyce protested, tossing mah-jong tiles across the floor.  
'Sit down and shut the fuck up, asswipe.' Brains snapped, clutching at Tessa's jacket.  
'Anyone bleeding?' Sam asked, joining Lennox at the door.  
'Nothing serious yet.' Shane replied, hunkering down and covering his head.  
'What's going on out there?' Wheelie asked, briefly vibrating against Tessa's side.  
'Nothing good, Wheelie. Just sit tight, I'll keep you safe.' Tessa replied, bringing the bag up into her lap. 'We'll get through this.'

Taking up a new position in front of the tea house where the humans were hiding, Speedshot dropped to one knee and unleashed hell, all four of his heavy gattling guns spinning up and spitting death down the streets. Shifting his aim up, he realised his mistake a second too late as a pair of missile streaked past Sideswipe and slammed into his side. His secondary shielding couldn't quite handle the strain and flared out leaving him vulnerable as he crashed to the ground.  
'Shot!' Leadfoot cried, launching a salvo in retaliation.  
'I'm alive.' Speedshot uttered, struggling to lift his bulk. 'I need a medic.'  
"I'm inbound. Sit tight." Revs responded, somewhere else in the carnage.  
'Let's get you out of the hot zone.' Blaster guided, darting over to cover him.  
'Were getting boxed in. We're getting flanked everywhere.' Hound briefed, tossing aside one empty gun and drawing fresh ones. 'Help me out here! Kill anything that moves!'  
'Come on Cade that means us too.' Lennox snapped, levelling his shot-dart and opening fire.  
'Come and get some, you little bitch!' Topspin hollered, sending out another wave of smaller rockets. 'Incoming!'

Picking himself up again, Sideswipe growled low and charged again, swords folding away in favour of his heavy rifle. Spinning around and moving forward to protect Speedshot, he took was taken out by a pair of missiles, this time a badly angled ricochet from Jazz. Crashing through the open façade of the building behind him and landing heavily, he groaned and struggled to rise again.  
'Slag, sorry 'bout that Sides.' Jazz offered, backing up quickly as another couple of stingers charged towards him.  
'We're good Jazz. Step left, I'll take these two.' Sideswipe replied, digging his rifle out of the debris and lining up the shot.  
'We need a new plan!' Sunstreaker called, coming back with the remains of a Decepticon in one hand. 'Ironhide!'  
'Running outta guns and ammo.' Hound warned, adding to their worsening plight.  
'Argh!' Leadfoot cried, dropping back with a deep hole in his belly plating. 'They're comin' in from this side again!'  
'Close the gaps!' Ironhide demanded, turning to shield Leadfoot behind his bulk.  
'Come and get some! You're all gonna die!' Hound challenged, sitting up and opening fire with a smaller pistol.

#~#+^*^+#~#

'You've got to be kidding me.' Crosshairs remarked, not at all comfortable with what had been revealed to them.  
'Legendary warriors, the powers that created us now want us all extinguished. We must join forces or else forever be their slaves.' Optimus declared, dwarfed by the much larger mechs around him.  
'I thought they were a myth.' Mirage uttered, backing away from the four huge warriors.  
'They're meant to be.' Ratchet shrugged, flaring out his shield just in case.  
'What are they?' Throttle asked, ready to draw a weapon if it was needed.  
'Dinobots, some of the oldest Autobots in existence. Considered ancient even when I was just a youngster.' Ratchet explained, amazed to be seeing such warriors on earth of all places. 'Stay back, Prime's the only one who has any chance of making peace with these old warriors.'  
'There's no freaking way I'm staying down here with them. No way. No way.' Crosshairs insisted, scrambling up as high as he could reach safely.

Climbing up to sit on the rocky slopes around them, the team waited and watched the fight unfold. Most weren't pleased by the delay but they could all see the sense in fielding such powerful warriors against this new breed of Decepticon.  
'We need to move soon, the fight is worsening.' Mirage warned, glancing towards the city again.  
'Yeah, Winder's gettin' antsy 'bout it too.' Crosshairs nodded, trying to stay focused on the fight but it was a challenge.  
'Even Ironhide is getting worried. They're down two Wreckers and the twins are out of action too.' Ratchet added, unfurling his buzz saw and checking it over.  
'Is there nothing we can do for them?' Modo asked, watching the distressed trio closely.  
'Not unless you can climb these mountains.' Prowl shrugged, drawing his attention to the high peaks around them.  
'I hate this sitting around.' Vinnie grumbled, shifting against the rock face.  
'Patience, we'll get our chance soon enough.' Ratchet guided, turning his attention back to the fight at hand. 'Oh frag! Shields up!'  
'Oh no.'  
'I was expecting a giant car.'

Everyone was on edge as the blazing inferno from one of these ancient warriors washed over their combined shields, setting off warnings and triggering support systems to deal with the heat. As quickly as it came, the fire cut out as the beast of an Autobot turned back towards Optimus for another round. Everyone was on edge, waiting and hoping that these Dinobots would prove to be the vital key they needed to put an end to the threat in the city below.  
'Never thought I'd see the day that one of Cybertron's Knights waged war against a legend.' Prowl remarked, turning his attention towards Ratchet with a faint smile. 'You don't suppose…'  
'Wouldn't be the strangest thing I've seen on this planet.' Ratchet shrugged, looking down at his hands thoughtfully.

Focusing for a few moments, he let out a delighted little noise as the scarred and angular plating shifted and reformed, smoothing out and redefining his forearms. Memories of a more refined time came flooding back as he reached into his subspace and came out with a well loved metal box. Opening that, he tipped the carved silver handle into his palm and tucked the box away.  
'You were an archer back in the day?' Mirage asked, leaning forward a little more.  
'I was, but it's been a great many years since I last tried. At least 30 million years.' Ratchet nodded, holding up the carved metal.  
'What about Ironhide?' Prowl enquired, mostly focused on the sword he'd drawn from subspace.  
'What are you talking about?' Vinnie asked, flinching as the massive dinosaur tumbled across the grass. 'Ouch. That had to hurt.'  
'Some of us have been in Prime's service for a long time. Part of that included cross training into secondary weapons that fit the archaic style of the court. It was all about looking the part and keeping the civilians from realising that we preparing for war.' Ratchet explained, getting to his feet. 'As for Ironhide, he's got a rather impressive axe that he uses to great effect.'  
'Autobots, we're going to prove who we are and why we're here.' Optimus declared, now mounted on the mighty Grimlock with his sword held high.  
'Oh, you just wanna die for the guy. That's leadership or brainwashin' or something.' Crosshairs shrugged, climbing down from his perch.  
'No, that's Optimus Prime.' Drift smiled, heading towards the remaining Dinobots.

Splitting up and getting organised, the small team mounted up in readiness for what was sure to be an interesting ride into battle. Getting settled and clutching their weapons to hand, there were a few nervous laughs as Optimus cave the order for them to roll out, though there wasn't a wheel anywhere near the ground.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Optics widening as he listened to the latest reports from the second ground team, Roadbuster didn't even hesitate, pulling a pair of short swords from his subspace and diving into the fight again. He wasn't great with his blades but with ammo running critically low and more enemies still coming towards them, he didn't have a lot of choices left.  
'Support is inbound. ETA five minutes!' Speedshot called, left on the sidelines until there was a better time to patch him up.  
'We might not last five minutes!' Ironhide snapped, tumbling backwards and shaking off his mangled right cannon. 'Jazz, sitrep!'  
'Runnin' outta options.' Jazz replied, standing his ground to protect the downed twins. 'I need support over here!'  
'I gotcha Jazz.' Topspin answered, shouldering his rifleblade and opening fire again. 'Get those shot-darts firing!'  
'Good shootin' Cade!' Hound praised, doing his best to protect Speedshot from further harm. 'I'm like a fat ballerina who takes scalps and slits throats.'

Taking the fight to the Decepticons again, Ironhide showed no fear or delay, wielding his jagged war axe in his right hand to replace the cannon he'd already lost in the heat of the battle. Cycling his left cannon back out of the way, he instead called upon a long unused program and ducked his head behind the diamond shield that unfolded from the same plating. Memories unlocking, he shifted his weight and turned, axe smashing through another Decepticon as he swatted a missile up out of the way.

Left arm clamped over the hasty patch job Revs had done for him, Speedshot staggered up to one knee and reached into his subspace for another option. Fingers closing on his favoured close combat knife, he yanked it and threw it with all his strength. Flipping end over end, it speared straight through the head of a Decepticon threatening Hound from behind.  
'Come here you little punk.' Hound growled, grabbing another one and ripping its head off. 'Nice throw Speedshot.'  
'Nothing to it Hound but if you've got a moment, I'll need that back.'  
'Here, take mine instead.'  
'Ohh, I like it.' Speedshot grinned, hefting the replacement knife.  
'You can't keep it. Raj gave it to me years back.' Hound nodded, turning and using his latest weapon to smash through another enemy.

Letting rip with an old Cybertronian battle cry, Ironhide ducked under Leadfoot's line and charged into the next brawl, using his shield to lift a smaller Decepticon up and throw them into the combined fire of the twins nearby. Axe singing in his hand, he turned with a speed that belied his size, only to find himself turning into a massive salvo from long range. Picked up by the concussive wave, he tumbled aft over helm again, sensors screaming as he crashed through at least one building before coming to a rest half buried in a big pile of debris.  
"Ironhide! Answer me, mech!" Jazz called, voice frantic across his scrambled circuits.  
"I hear you Jazz." Ironhide replied, reaching back to push at the debris on his back.  
"Are you okay?" Speedshot cut in, still trying to keep track of everyone.  
"I am in no danger of off lining but am unable to return to the fight." Ironhide offered, sending Speedshot a snippet of his sensor data. "I require assistance."  
"Sit tight, we'll get you out soon as the area is cleared." Blade instructed, calming the situation with practised ease.

Risking a look over his shoulder at a rather heavy thud inside their shelter, Cade didn't even hesitate to abandon his position and hustle to grab the grenade that had just fallen through the window. Following Hound's desperate order, he yanked the pin with Joshua's help and tossed it back out the shattered window into Roadbuster's waiting hand.  
'Where's that backup?' Hound yelled, lobbing two more grenades across the battle scene.  
'ETA two minutes.' Leadfoot barked, resorting to using scattered steel pipes as spears to stop their enemies approaching.  
'Got some bad news, guys. I'm out of ammo. Out of ideas.' Hound warned, landing heavily in the rubble of another building.  
'Backup is in the city!' Speedshot declared, struggling to gain his feet and level his last resort pistol. 'Just hold on a little longer.'  
"Prime inbound with…mechanical dinosaurs?" Tar declared, confusion bleeding across the comm system. "What the fuck is going on with that?"  
"Apparently Prime pulled them off that ship we stole from Lockdown. Dinobots, Legendary Warriors that have been around for a fucking long time." Sidewinder explained, taking up a new position over the city.  
"Oh, those guys." Ironhide commented, sounding a little amused by that turn of events. "Cool."  
"We're coming guys! Hang in just a minute longer!" Throttle called, dismounting on the fly and charging into the raging battle.  
"I'll kill you!" Prime declared, voice far angrier than any had ever heard from him.

Standing tall in the heart of the battle, Hound ripped his outer helm off and let fly, using it as a weapon of last resort to take down another stinger before pulling loose an empty ammo feeder and using it as a whip to defend his position. On the other side of the human team, Topspin scrambled back to his feet and went in again, trading punches with a trax that bore a scary resemblance to Roadbuster.

Emerging from cover with a makeshift spear in hand, Jazz launched it with all his might, skewering another trax from behind and pinning him to a heavily damaged wall to be finished off by a neat headshot from Lennox. Backing him up, despite his many injuries, Roadbuster flipped one of his short swords around and threw it hard, slicing through another weird looking Decepticon before it could threaten the twins.

Huddled in the debris, Brains emerged from the messenger bag and huddled in against Tessa's side, looking towards Shane as the two reached out to clasp hands. Listening to the battle raging around them and the comms chatter from all sides, Brains just shivered and burrowed closer.  
"How you holding up, Brains?" Leadfoot asked, voice low and almost soothing amongst the chaos. "Everyone still okay over there?"  
'Yeah, we're all still here. Scared to the pit but alive.' Brains replied, crawling back to the bag and retrieving a spare cloth Tessa had tucked in there. 'We'll be okay, Tessa. Just hold on and don't let go. We'll get through this.'  
'You're…' Darcy started, openly staring as Brains wiped Tessa's teary face.  
'We may be mechanical but we're still human inside.' Brains shrugged, tucking in against Tessa's shoulder. 'Stay down, we're safer in here.'

Carrier programming taking over and leading him onward through the chaos, Mirage full sprinted through the ruined streets, deadly blades dripping green as he vaulted fallen debris and sparking Decepticon carcasses. Scrambling around another corner, he slid to a stop and watched in horror and disbelief as Hound was pinned to the torn up ground beneath some double-headed Shockwave look-alike. Stepping forward, ready to defend his mate, he stopped and stared as Hound flipped his cygar around and fired the round into his latest opponent.  
'Get off me!' Hound growled, heaving the corpse off and collapsing back.  
'Get up Hound!'  
'I can't go on!'  
'Look, you gotta keep fighting!'  
'Tank's empty, bro.'  
'Hound, you must get up.' Mirage called, breaking cover and running to his mate. 'Get up, we still need your strength.'  
'If you don't get up and fight, we're gonna die.' Cade added, pointing back towards the fight.  
'You can do this, amore.' Mirage nodded, holding out Hound's battered outer helm. 'For Mustang.'  
'Speedshot, I'm gonna need my knife back.' Hound called, sitting up and snugging his helm back into place.  
'Comin' your way.' Speedshot confirmed, launching the blade back across the battleground. 'Go, we'll catch up when we can!'

Next onto the scene, Ratchet barely even slowed down, circling Prowl and hurrying to patch up the wounded as Hound and Mirage barrelled towards the next wave of fighting. Taking a knee beside Speedshot and getting to work, he relaxed a little more as the rest of the medical team touched down and spread out to help.  
'There's still more of 'em coming!' Lennox called, picking his way through the rubble.  
'Don't bother the medics while they're working.' Rumble growled, skating onto the scene.  
'You'll just have to settle for a handful of bikes for protection.' Frenzy agreed, heading for the trashed building where the others were hiding. 'You can come out now. The fight's moved on from here.'

Catching the rifle-blade Speedshot tossed to him, Jazz glanced back at the downed twins for a moment before nodding and taking off with Prowl at his side. Hurdling the debris and trying to direct the youngsters towards the worst of the damage, they soon caught up with Hound and Mirage for the big push.  
'I'm getting too old for this crap.' Hound remarked, retrieving an older model heavy repeating rifle from his subspace.  
'Sometimes I fear we will spend the rest of our existence fighting these wars.' Prowl agreed, securing his sword and drawing a small pistol.  
'Soon we can retire, amore. Then you can focus on raising Mustang instead of these battles.' Mirage smiled, looking up at him as he flared out his blades.  
'Hey, we could arrange play dates for the youngsters.' Jazz suggested, keeping a careful watch for any humans around their feet.  
'So long as the twins are not involved.' Mirage allowed, picking up the pace a little more.  
'Bumblebee could help, he's such a soft spark.' Prowl smiled, opening fire to help protect the younger scout.  
'Close the gaps! Push 'em outta the city!' Hot Rod yelled, dropping in to join the quartet. 'Any idea how many 'Cons are left?'  
'Haven't been counting.' Hound shrugged, turning to shield Mirage from another wave of incoming fire.

Systems screaming as he pushed his body to the limit, Sidewinder landed on Scorn's back and set one knee against Crosshairs' back for support as he opened fire, adding to the chaos around them. Trusting his mate to keep them secure, he focused on keeping the enemy back and providing cover for their team as required.  
"I need extra hands back here." Ratchet barked, sounding just a little frantic. "Non-medical hands at that."  
"We're inbound Ratchet." Throttle countered, voice strong and steady in the chaos.  
'Bee, jump!'  
"Megatron is making a break for the mountains. What's the plan?" Braidy requested, moving aside as Strafe soared straight up with Bee and one of the stingers brawling on his back.  
"Let him go, we've got enough trouble dealing with this mess. We'll get another shot at him later." Blade decided, dropping between the buildings to better support Optimus.  
"Copy that Boss." Emission responded, trying to line up a shot to cover Bee. "Damn it, I can't get a clear shot on it!"  
"Do not hit the Dinobots!" Prowl warned, assisting Drift out of a tight spot. "They are not known for their even tempers."

Transforming as he dropped, Rictor cried out in discomfort as he pushed his systems to the limit. Adjusting his angle of descent, he landed heavily and dropped to his side, shielding dozens of humans from flying shrapnel. Pouring extra power into his secondary shield, he caught and flicked aside the remnants of the ugly pink stinger Bee tossed his way.  
"I hate cheap knockoffs." Bee remarked, tossing the head to Strafe as a treat. "You okay Rictor?"  
'A little tender in spots.' Rictor nodded, accepting a helping hand to rise. 'When this is over, I'm getting a ground form. That was hell on my wings.'  
"Looked impressive too." Bumblebee agreed, brushing some burnt cloth off his face. "Back to it?"  
'Yeah, back to the grind.' Rictor chuckled, reforming his preferred rifle and bounding down the street with Bee right behind him.

Regrouping slowly, checking each other over and passing around what little ammunition they had left, the team were definitely looking the worse for wear. Every single one of the ground-pounders had at least some damage but none of them were going to let that slow them down for long at all.

Barely combat ready but refusing to quit, Speedshot shouldered a pair of rifle-blades as Leadfoot reloaded his rocket launcher with the few rounds still available. Beside them, Topspin waited calmly while Revs patched a ragged gash in his armour and Roadbuster took the chance to realign the duel blades he kept as his ultimate backup. 

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were currently being held together with salvaged materials from the battlefield, they weren't exceptionally mobile anymore but they were pissed off and looking for revenge in any way they could get it. Jazz and Prowl kept them focused on the main task at hand, keeping the twins from doing anything completely insane.

Last to arrive, Ironhide looked like absolute slag, covered in dents and scratches from him heavy impact with the buildings. Flaring out every panel and frame section that would still move, he shook out a storm of debris from his internals and growled about shoddy building codes. With both cannons offline, he retrieved his lost axe from Blaster and reformed his shield, optics turning towards Optimus as they waited for their next impossible task.

Keeping their smaller weapons to hand and constantly scanning for trouble, Frenzy, Rumble and Harley stared close to the human team, ready to defend them and their precious cargo. Moments later Eject and Rewind joined them, bolstering the defensive line with fresh rifles.  
'You!' Optimus demanded, sword pointing towards the humans.  
'Who?' Joshua asked, still trying to play the innocent card.  
'You.' Cade and Lennox countered, shoving the engineer forward.  
'Step forward!'  
'Ohhh, we gonna see a human go squish.' Harley teased, shouldering his rifle.  
'Shoulda squished him in Chicago.' Brains added, perched on Tessa's shoulder safely.  
'Your science will be responsible for humanities extinction.'  
'Alright, I know that you're sensitive to this whole bioethical dilemma.'  
'Maybe all he wants to hear you say is that some things should never be invented.'  
'Or an apology for the lives you took.' Ratchet added, coming up to stand with Ironhide.

Apparently even Grimlock didn't much care for Joshua, getting right in close and roaring at the trembling scientist. Listening to him scream like a little bitch, Brains laughed for the first time in years as he climbed down to curl up around Wheelie once more.  
'We'll lead you out of the city. Get that seed safely to the hills.'  
'Use this car!'  
'We'll stay close, you just focus on the road ahead.' Eject directed, looking up at Drift for a moment. 'Be safe out there.'  
'You as well, little one.' Drift nodded, heading to rejoin the rest of the team.  
'He almost ate me!'  
'Don't be stupid, you're far too soft for Grimlock. He eats metal, not flesh.' Frenzy remarked, dropping into a lower stance and raising his rifle.  
'Alright, we're good!'  
'I'm not ready for this.' Brains uttered, looking up at Tessa from the safety of their bag.  
'I'll keep you safe.' Tessa promised, cradling the bag to her chest. 'Maybe I should close it properly though, to keep you both safer.'  
'Yeah, that'd be a good idea. Don't wanna lose myself in this.' Wheelie agreed, sounding outright tired and lost. 'I'm scared.'  
'I'll keep you safe.' Tessa promised, securing the straps and making sure they were snug in the bag. 'We'll get through this together.'

Trusting the youngsters to provide close protection against any threats, the rest of the ground team took the distant guard line, some running and others rolling for the bridge that led out of the city. Throttle and his bros took the rear guard, preferred weapons to hand as they at least attempted to protect the convoy and direct civilians away from danger zones. For most, it was a little strange to have the Dinobots running along with them, roaring and blasting fireballs seemingly at random. For others, it was an experience they were in no real hurry to repeat.  
"Red Alert! Red Alert! Lockdown's ship is on scene and coming in fast!" Decal reported, swooping low over the ground team.  
"Aerial team, time to show Lockdown why Earth is a bad hunting ground for him!" Blade called, kicking off and launching skyward again.  
"Be careful up there, all of you." Optimus requested, mostly focused on his own battle.  
"Spread out and protect the humans! We have to keep casualties down!" Beast cried, stepping up to follow her parents into a leadership role. "This is our fight too!"  
"We have a problem down here! The seed is beeping!" Brains cut in, breaking up the family chatter on the comms.  
"Copy that, Brains. Keep us informed if the beeping changes at all." Ironhide directed, coming alongside the speeding vehicle. 'Aw frag, that could be a locator beacon.'

Taking stock of their extremely limited options and swearing across the comms, Blade really didn't like the answers coming back to him. Even if they amassed every last round they had up in the air right now, there was little hope they could do much damage against Lockdown's ship. Nevertheless, he took command of his wings and led them in closer to the bigger vessel, coming up with a plan on the fly and hoping for the best. Sending up a prayer to Primus and Ares, he split his team and started running nuisance runs around the ship, picking off sensors when they could find them and just generally making it hard for Lockdown and his cronies to get a direct bead on the rest of their extensive family.

Definitely wary when the lower surfaces of the ship started moving, the aerial team stayed well clear from the shifting sections. Their fears proved to be founded this time as the revealed inner systems started sucking up anything metallic and turning it into twisted wreckage. Recalculating flight paths and working together to pull each other out if they got caught in the hot zone, they maintained their efforts to at least distract the larger ship from hunting their friends or opening fire on the innocent civilians all around them.

On the ground, uncaring of the dangers overhead, the youngsters pulled together to rescue as many people as they possibly could as vehicles of all shapes and sizes before they were sucked up out of reach. They were only small but their primarily composite bodies and additional anchorage options made it a hard task to shift them from their positions. Drifter and Tracer took insane risks, using their thrusters to push some of the smaller vehicles back down just enough for their cousins to reach inside. At one point, Drifter almost got sucked up but Armageddon was able to grab one wing and hurl him out of the danger zone even as she plucked two screaming women from another car.

Doing their best to keep up with the constant stream of updates and warnings from the rest of the extended family, the primary ground team kept their focus ahead, knowing full well that they now had to run the gauntlet of metallic hail Lockdown was causing.  
"Throttle, I need you and your bros up front." Optimus requested, surprisingly calm considering the situation. "The twins can watch the rear."  
"We're on it, Prime." Sunstreaker replied, pride colouring his voice.  
"10-4, we're on our way." Throttle confirmed, engine screaming as he led his bros forward to assist on the front lines.  
"Breaker breaker." Jazz piped up, effectively breaking the tension for a brief moment.  
"Exercise extreme caution! It's a shitstorm out here!" Armageddon warned, not even sure the bigger Autobots would be able to slip past the magnetic pull.  
"Whoa momma." Modo yelped, transforming and diving clear of a plummeting minivan.  
"Understatement Armageddon." Throttle added, scrabbling clear of a bus. "This is insane."  
'Fuck, too close!' Rumble cried, narrowly avoiding a flying prop as it cleared the human team.  
'Shit, shit, shit!' Harley chanted, shaken up by his close encounter with the same large lump of bronze. 'There's no way we'll make it!'  
'Back up! Back up! Back up!' Lennox snapped, glancing over his shoulder as a wave of water rushed towards them.  
'It's too early for my annual bath!' Eject whined, twisting clear of the blue car and backing up fast.  
'Get out of the way! Move! Move! Move!' Rewind yelled, focusing on scattering the crowd behind them. 'Run for your lives!'  
'I can't see! I can't see!'  
'Relax, we'll guide you back. Trust the HUD on the windscreen.' Harley offered, casting out the display and tuning it to show clear directions.  
"Jump on the gas! You don't wanna get caught in that thing!" Christine ordered, swinging around and transforming in mid air.  
'Autobots, fall back!'

Engines redlining as she shot across the water, narrowly avoiding the plunging vehicles of every shape and size, she braced her forearms over her head and smashed into Ironhide's flank, knocking the heavier mech clear of the magnetic pull and racing back skyward. Barely a second later Braid came thundering through on much the same flight path, tackling Ratchet clear of the danger with seeming ease then turning and looking for any more allies stuck in the hot zone.  
"We'll cover as much as we can but there are still a lot of civilians in danger." Voodoo offered, using his thrusters to knock a small car into the river.  
"Anything you can do would be great. But primary focus has to be on protecting civilians. We have to keep the death toll down if possible." Throttle replied, fending off another container as he ran for his life.  
'I gotcha Bee. I gotcha.' Vinnie promised, snagging one bright yellow hand and flicking Bee away from a disintegrating ferry. 'Faster, we gotta get away from that thing!'

Fighting down a rather inappropriate snort of laughter as Optimus lost his footing and fell on the narrow road, Roadbuster stayed focused and helped his family up onto the greener strip alongside the road. It was a calculated risk, bringing them closer to the magnetic pull but it also gave them a little more space to try and come up with some sort of a defence against the ship overhead. But when they noticed that even the much larger Dinobots couldn't resist the pull, they broke and ran, instead attempting to protect humans from falling debris as they beat a hasty retreat from that thing.  
'Everyone, cast out your secondaries to 33% larger than normal. That should be large enough to protect against most of this debris.' Sidewinder directed, sticking close to Crosshairs.  
'Mine's still offline.' Speedshot replied, diving clear of another shattered car.  
'I got some action out of mine but barely enough to cover vitals.' Leadfoot added, fending off a crumpled motorcycle.

Swatting away another air conditioner, Rumble turned as sharp as he could to avoid another falling car then backed up to take shelter against the building where the humans were hiding. Intakes wheezing, he looked up again, tracking the ship and looking for another way out. He was just a kid, this was all a little too much for him to deal with.  
'We need more weight in here!' Sam yelled, drawing attention to the threat inside.  
'Hug the walls!' Frenzy directed, crawling into the building and grabbing the hovering car with both hands. 'Get outta the car! I can't hold it for long!'  
'Get out! Get out!'  
'Faster, faster.' Frenzy insisted, watching a cleaver spiral past his optics.  
'Oww.' Brains grumbled, one hand poking out of the bag still clutched to Tessa's chest.  
'Sorry about that.' Tessa uttered, lightly squeezing his hand between two fingers.  
'Gah, I can't hold on much longer!' Frenzy warned, fingers slipping with a screech of tortured metal. 'Faster!'  
'Help me! Grab the bomb!'  
'I can't get the seatbelt off.'  
'No, no, no.' Lennox growled, grabbing Cade's leg and trying to pull Joshua and the bomb back to safety.  
'I can't get the seatbelt off.'  
'Help me! Help me!'  
'I'm stuck!'  
'I can't hold on any longer.' Frenzy groaned, losing his grip with a shrieking pop. 'Medic, I need a medic! Blew a main linkage in my shoulder.'  
"Can you reach my location, Frenzy?" Ratchet requested, pinging his comm with a new position.  
'Yeah, I think so. On my way.' Frenzy nodded, easing his way out of the building. 'Sorry guys, I gotta get this patched up.'  
'Be safe, bro.' Rumble uttered, turning and ducking into the building. 'Oh frag.'  
'I got Lucky Charms.' Eject called, somewhere above Rumble's head.

Picking up on a faint change in the air, Rumble didn't even hesitate, the hovering humans just as the magnetic pull released the bomb and gravity took over. Bundling them as close as possible, he curled and rolled backwards, protecting the humans from an ugly impact with the floor.  
'Everyone okay?' he asked, setting the humans aside carefully.  
'Rumble, look out!' Harley screamed, drawing his attention skyward again.  
'Car!'  
'Slag!' Rumble yelped, hoisting the humans up and pushing them towards the best escape route.  
'Rumble! Answer me Rumble!' Reward called, peering in through the damaged walls. 'Rumble!'  
'Shane! Shane!'  
'I'm good!'

Sitting up slowly, shaking off the debris and checking for fire damage, Rumble grinned weakly as he crawled out of the building. Resting for a few moments, he shuddered and coughed, shaking dust and smaller debris out of his finer joints.  
'That was stupidly brave, Rumble.' Eject grinned, helping him to his feet.  
'Someone had to do it.' Rumble shrugged, wincing as a puff of dust erupted from his shoulder.  
'Come on, we gotta keep moving.' Harley nodded, dropping to his wheels. 'Mount up!'  
'Let's go, it's the fastest way.' Eject agreed, dropping to his wheels.

#~#+^*^+#~#

Switching between duties with flawless precision, Ratchet sent little Frenzy back into the battle and drew his energy bow as he turned. Spotting Bumblebee and Strafe engaged in a duel with one of Lockdown's fighters, he activated his bow and drew back, optics automatically allowing for the bright glow from the electro-string. Fitting a larger charge to the plasma arrow, he adjusted his aim and loosed the shot, watching the gleaming purple round arc up and crash down into the cockpit of the fighter with a nice little blast. Falling into the old rhythm, he launched another three in quick succession before moving on, providing the ranged protection to counter Ironhide's up close and personal combat style.  
"Bee and Strafe are down! Looks like a nasty crash landing." Crosshairs reported, somewhere else in the chaos.  
"Get cover!" Optimus ordered, shielding Prowl and Jazz behind his bulk.  
"Whoa, nice one Slug!" Jazz praised, impressed by the skill of the much larger Dinobot.  
'Cade.' Optimus acknowledged, getting back onto his feet. 'Autobots, get this bomb over the bridge and out of the city!'  
'Dad!'  
'Come on.'  
'We're running out of places to run. We need to break out of this mess.' Lennox agreed, grabbing the bomb and starting to run with it.  
'Whoa…frag!' Jazz cried, scrabbling for grip as he was sucked up off the ground.  
'Bee, get out of here! Get the humans to safety!' Speedshot barked, flipping over in midair and reaching for his subspace.

Practically redlining his engine, Sidewinder led the race away from Lockdown's ship, formulating a plan on the fly. He wasn't the best for tactical thinking but he knew enough to keep the humans safe and work out the best way to get the bomb away from city limits. He had his selfish reasons too, preferring to at least try to get Crosshairs away from what was sure to be an epic showdown when Optimus went against Lockdown again.

Scrambling for a plan, reaching out to each other and straining to get grips on the buildings around them, the rest of the ground team kept looking for answers but most of their combined strength was put towards keeping them from being sucked up into the machine. Anchoring the line as best they could, Throttle, Vinnie and Modo roared their challenge to the sky, wrapping around the building frames and holding on for dear life.  
"I can't hold on much longer!" Jazz warned, scrambling to adjust his hold on Prowl and Leadfoot.  
"Prime, do something!" Ironhide demanded, fighting to hold onto Ratchet and Mirage.  
"I'm trying." Optimus shot back, swinging out from under the building he was stuck beneath.  
"I gotcha Optimus." Blade called, swooping right in close and transforming on the fly.

Wings in tight, he drove his feet into the building and managed to hook onto what felt like part of the innermost structure of the building. Grabbing hold of that beam, he wrapped both hands around Optimus' wrist and held on tight, cables and joints creaking as he fought against the magnetic pull threatening the entire team.  
"Do it now!" Blade barked, grip sliding and leaving black streaks over Optimus' forearm.  
"Hold tight!' Optimus warned, twisting around and firing up towards the ship with a mighty roar.  
"Whoa, frag!' Mirage yelped, the pull releasing almost instantly  
"That's gonna leave a mark." Topspin remarked, curling up as best he could.

Crashing to the ground in a weird hail of twisting mechanical bodies, the team tumbled across the already mangled grassy area, kicking up the dirt and crashing into the already weakened buildings. Picking themselves up again, them shook off the dirt and raced back into the fight. No matter what they faced, each one knew that the fight needed to end here and now.

Waiting on a relatively undamaged section of roadway, Drift, Crosshairs, Bee and Sidewinder sat ready to do their part and get the humans out of danger. Hopefully that would leave enough Autobots to finish the job without too many more complications.  
'I got it. I'm getting this bomb outta here.'  
'Give me the gun.'  
'It's you and me now.' Optimus growled, taking off after Lockdown's damaged ship.  
'Look, Optimus is out there all alone.'  
'What? You can't help him.'  
'I have to Tessa. He came back for us.'  
'Dad, don't leave. Please.'  
'Look, I'll find you. I'll get there. Okay.'  
'Dad, no. You'll die.'  
'You gotta stay with Shane. You're gonna be okay. You promise me you're gonna keep her safe. Rest of her life until the end of time. Promise me!'  
'I promise you.'  
'You're the best thing I ever made Tess. Right, don't ever forget it. It was always you. I love you.'  
'Please.'  
'Get in the car, now!'  
'Dad!'

Considering options on the fly and consulting Prowl for the tactical side, Ironhide hashed out a plan that would hopefully prevent any more casualties and minimise further damage to the city around them. Neither of them was happy about Cade's choice to stay and fight but they kept their mouths shut. After all, Sam and Lennox had made it pretty clear they weren't leaving either.  
'Alright, listen up. We're splitting the team to achieve both goals. I'm taking the Wreckers, Throttle, Modo, Vinnie, Wheeljack and Ratchet. The rest of you will deploy with Prowl. No arguments, you have your assignments!' Ironhide called, taking a moment to resharpen his axe.  
'Team 2 will be tasked with holding the bridge and retreating with the seed to a safe location until Lockdown has been eliminated.' Prowl directed, looking down at Bee for a moment. 'That includes the rest of the civilian team and there will be no debate on the matter.'  
'Team 1, we're heading to provide backup for Prime. We all know from experience that he takes few precautions and will make wild choices in the heat of battle. It's up to us to try and keep him in one piece this time. If you have the shot, you have full authority to engage with Lockdown in open combat. Do be aware that we have three humans with us, let's make sure we came back to the RV with the same three in similar condition.' Ironhide briefed, motioning for his team to fall out and head for their next battleground.

Racing for the bridge with Rictor overhead, Bumblebee tried not to think about the battle raging behind him. He wanted to be back there fighting beside his Prime, every Autobot saw it as an honour to stand in Optimus' shadow and fight beside him. But he had a duty to the humans, one that he would fulfil no matter his personal feelings.  
'Stop the car!'  
"You better listen."  
'No, you listen. I am not leaving my dad.'  
'Tessa, open the bag.' Brains requested, pushing against the fabric until she loosened the flap and folded it back. 'I know you're scared. I know you're worried for your dad but you need to have faith in the team. They'll keep him safe and bring him home to you. If you go out there, you could get hurt or killed. Then what? That's no fate for a young lady like you.'  
'He's my dad, I can't just abandon him.' Tessa insisted, scrubbing her face quickly.  
'You're not abandoning him, Tessa. Right now, Cade needs to focus on the battle ahead. He needs to concentrate on the threats around him and stay ahead of a pretty mean opponent. He won't be able to do that if he sees you in the middle of that fight. He'll be worried for you, risking his life for yours and who knows where such a noble sacrifice could lead.' Brains continued, climbing out of the bag and reaching up to grab her collar securely.  
"Everything will be okay." Bumblebee chimed in, trying to help lighten the mood.  
'When this is all over, we'll make sure you're reunited with your dad. Even if I have to go out there myself and bring him back, I will. We won't let anyone else wind up an orphan because of this.' Wheelie added, tired and quiet but he did manage a weak vibration against Tessa's stomach.  
'Okay, if you guys say I'll see my dad again.' Tessa nodded, wrapping one arm around Brains lightly. 'You've done right by us so far.'  
"And we always will." Bumblebee chirped, shooting off the mark and racing after the convoy headed for the bridge.  
'You're family now, Tessa. We look after our own.' Brains agreed, tucking in as close as he could to her. 'That give you a level of protection too, Lucky Charms. But only if you stay with our Tessa. You break her heart and you're on your own against whatever threats show up.'

#~#+^*^+#~#

Spreading out to cover all possible escape routes, the smaller defensive team readied their weapons and prepared to duke it out with Lockdown once and for all. Whatever it took, that damned bounty hunter would not leave earth alive. He was far too dangerous to be allowed to live and was technically responsible for the deaths of countless humans.  
"I gave you an order." Optimus snapped, barely paying them any real attention.  
"Prowl and I countermanded it." Ironhide returned, totally calm as he waited. "You get first shot but the moment it turns nasty, we're here for backup."

Picking their spot, Throttle and his bros came up with a slightly more entertaining plan. Splitting their processing power, they cast out their holoforms to cover the three humans still with them. Much as expected, Cade was totally confused and almost intimidated by their appearance until he realised that they were just holoforms.  
'Wait, you're Martians?' Cade blinked, hugging the walls and looking the trio over cautiously.  
'We were. It's not really a story for now, but when the dust has settled, we'll explain everything.' Throttle nodded, tail flicking behind him. 'It's about time Attinger learned that humans will never be alone in this system.'  
'This Lockdown is a fuckin' show off.' Modo remarked, shaking his head slowly. 'Kinda reminds me of someone back home.'  
'I so wanna see Speedshot go up against Lockdown.' Vinnie grinned, tucking one shoulder into the wall. 'Come on, where are you, asshole?'  
"Team 2 has secured the bridge. We'll hold the line right here." Prowl cut in, briefly reminding everyone that there was more at stake than just Prime's life.  
"Be aware, long range sensors are picking up on new targets. Exact details unknown. ETA fifteen minutes." Fog added, swinging around to get a better read on the new target.

Motioning for quiet and winking quickly, the three holoforms faded out as several bullets impacted the wall around Cade. Dropping his shot-dart and raising his hands, Cade pressed back in against the wall harder, spotting Sam and Lennox hiding nearby in case they were needed.  
'You see it takes patience to make a man. The patience to watch and wait. To protect all of us quietly, for God and country. Without any recognition at all.' Attinger growled, holding Cade at gunpoint as he ranted.  
'Hey, asshole.' Throttle challenged, fading into view and tapping Attinger on the shoulder. 'Hate to say it but aliens have been living on Earth for a long time.'  
'And we got no reason to leave.' Vinnie added, hand curling over the pistol and pushing down.  
'Just a pity ya won't get to tell anyone 'bout us.' Modo agreed, wrapping his tail around Attinger's throat. 'Can't risk the secret getting out.'

Mechanical arm wrapping around Attinger's shoulders as he used his flesh hand to brace himself, Modo pulled in three directions until a sharp snap rang out and Attinger went totally limp. Tossing the body aside, he flexed for a moment before the trio faded away again. Blinking dumbly, Cade scooped up his dropped weapon and shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be picky, he had far more concerning matters to worry about.

Chittering quietly with his mates as they restocked his weapons with the absolute last of what they were able to scrape together, Speedshot peered around one of the large cement silos they'd taken shelter behind. Watching the fight and critiquing Lockdown's techniques, he shifted his weight up onto his pedes and snapped down his battle mask.  
"Only if necessary, Speedshot." Ironhide warned, hunkered down behind another row of silos.  
"You know it." Speedshot confirmed, flinching back to avoid a shower of debris.

They all saw it though no one quite believed it. Optimus' attention went skyward for just a moment, but that moment was more than ample for Lockdown to take full advantage of. With a one-two combo that was faster than most could follow, Optimus went down hard, sending up another cloud of debris around the site. Everyone winced at the next kick, a few even reaching for their own necks in sympathy. The team could only watch in horror as Lockdown grabbed Prime's discarded sword and rammed it straight through Prime's chest, effectively pinning him to the silo.  
"Ohhh, that's going to be a tough repair." Ratchet muttered, already calculating how best to repair that new gash.  
'You bring shame upon us all.' Lockdown taunted, leaning over Prime and forcing his head back.  
"Nobody does that to my Prime and lives!" Ironhide swore, Guardsman protocols running hot.  
"He's mine first, Ironhide. Hunter against Hunter." Speedshot snapped, rising to his full height and stepping into clear sight. 'Hey asshole! You want him, you gotta go through us first!'  
'Speedshot, no! I gave you an order!' Optimus called, straining to pry his sword loose. 'This is my fight!'  
'It's our fight too!' Ironhide countered, unfolding his shield to protect Ratchet. 'Hold it, medic. Ain't safe yet.'

In the zone, focus narrowed down to Lockdown and his own capabilities, Speedshot unleashed his heavy duty blade and charged with a roar. Twisting clear of the first strike, he dodged Optimus' reaching hand and jumped, boosters firing for just a second to power him higher. Driving down with the thick blade, tearing Lockdown's cannon from his arm, the smaller mech landed and turned, bending backwards to avoid the next strike.

Dropping right back, he twisted and kicked out, landing a brutal one-two kick across Lockdown's upper chest and tumbling over to clear the danger zone. Flowing with a grace not usually seen in Wreckers, he dropped and kicked out again, sending the bigger mech stumbling back closer to Ironhide's limited range. Using everything to hand, even resorting to pelting the bounty hunter with fistfuls of gravel, he continued to push Lockdown away from the team to give someone else a chance to move.

Pushed back a step when one of Lockdown's shots caught him in the side, Speedshot screamed a challenge and lunged in again, leading with a couple of mortar rounds and following up with his heavy blade. Kicking up the dust, he spun and skittered back again, avoiding the jagged sword Lockdown wielded. Ducking another slashing strike, he cried out as the ugly mech got in close enough to tear the rocket launcher off his shoulder.

Breaking the contact and reaching for his subspace, Speedshot stunned everyone when he pulled out a small bag of goop and launched it at Lockdown full force. Tumbling for a few moments, the bag smashed against Lockdown's lower armour and split, plastering him with the goop and driving him to his knees as the substance went to work on short-circuiting everything it touched.  
'Whoa! Killer robot my ass!' Sam cheered, picking smaller plates off Lockdown's frame.  
'Get him Speedshot!' Lennox grinned, adding to the general chaos of the battle.

Intakes screaming for cooler air, Speedshot swore as his nemesis regained his feet and came in for another round. Checking where the humans were hiding, he lunged and fired his boosters again, gaining enough height to smash Lockdown across the face with one reinforced pede. Crunching down, he flashed out a smaller blade to stab through Lockdown's wrist and turned, attempting to throw him into the silos behind him.

Hollering in shock and pain, his momentum turned against him and Speedshot went down hard as his smaller wrist blade snapped and went spinning away to land in the gravel. Swearing low, he lifted one hand to pummel Lockdown's helm as the other strained to hold back his spark extinguisher.  
'You see my face your life is done!'  
'Get away! All of you!'

Sprinting across the torn ground, Ironhide skidded past a discarded truck and reached out, one war scarred hand curling around the hilt of Optimus' sword. Servos whining against the strain, he twisted and pulled, drawing the sword out and sending it flying up at a near 45 degree angle. Releasing it one he was certain it was clear, he used his remaining momentum to slide clear of Prime's battle charge.

Giving a battle cry of his own, Optimus tucked and lunged, snagging his sword from midair and vaulting over Ironhide in one easy motion. Shunting power to different servos, he gripped the hilt with both hands and jumped, bringing it down full force through Lockdown's back just as the bounty hunter drew back to eliminate Speedshot permanently. With almost perfect synchronicity, Speedshot shifted clear as Optimus ripped lockdown in half from abdominal plating to helm and out before tossing the destroyed machinery aside.  
'Honour to the end.'  
'Did you have to cover me in his fluids?' Speedshot complained, getting to his feet and looking around at the carnage.  
"Heads up! Remaining Decepticons on route to Team 1's location!" Black reported, swooping low over the silos.

No time to celebrate, the team were instantly on edge, ducking back as Lockdown's ship, assumedly crewed by at least a half decent team, opened fire on their locations. Forming a rough plan on the fly, most of the team took off running, weaving past the buildings and heading for a rendezvous with the bridge team.  
'Prime, take the humans! You've got the best chance to get clear safely!' Ratchet directed, protecting the trio for a few moments.  
'Quickly. I'm setting off Lockdown's grenade.' Optimus directed, protecting the humans behind his shield. 'Hold tight.'


End file.
